Crossing Roads
by zenhir
Summary: Syaoran stops to help a girl with a flat tire. A simple moment of guilt and kindness sends Syaoran on a major detour from his life. And every road sign seems to be pointing at Sakura.
1. Guilt Trip

**Summary**

_He had just kicked his cousin out of his car and feeling mighty guilty about it. Than he meets a girl named Sakura with a flat tire. Feeling guilty about Meiling, Syaoran decides to help her out. What begins as mere simple acquaintance slowly travels down a road Syaoran's never ridden before. Trust and Love._

**Disclaimer**

_I don't own CCS._

_However, I do own this plot._

**Author's Chapterly Comments**

_Okay, I'm just curious but._

_WHAT DOES AU MEAN?_

_Sorry, I just need like to know. Because I see that on stories but I don't know what that means and that's driving me nuts. Lol. Right. Okay. Enjoy the story! It's 100 all me. Thank you._

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**Crossing Roads**

"**Guilt Trip"**

Syaoran maneuvered between two parked cars next to an abandoned station. The black-haired girl sitting next to him had her manicured polished nails tightly wrapped around her knee and staring intently at his face.

"We just stopped five minutes ago Syaoran sweetie…" She said, her mouth moving faster than her anxiety.

Syaoran's jaw twitched slightly as he glued his eyes to his windshield. The car had stopped and the room under the hood was engulfed with tense silence.

The girl looked around her nervously, "Syaoran…why did we stop?"

"Get out," He said quietly, each word lingering in the space between them.

The girl looked over at him expectantly, "You don't mean it."

He faced her suddenly and looked down coldly, "Don't argue with me right now – I'm not in the mood for your excuses."

She fought for words under his hard eyes, "But – I'm – you're just throwing me out!"

His jaw jumped, "I will if you can't open the door on your own."

"You can't do that!" She cried, elaborately gesturing with open palms.

"I'm telling you to get out Meiling, I'm not giving you a choice." He said evenly.

She opened and closed her mouth trying to change his mind, "Syaoran! How am I supposed to get there then! Walk! You want me to walk a fucking two thousand miles!" She said, near hysterics.

Syaoran looked away and scowled out the window, "It's not two thousand miles Meiling – I'm sure you can sweet talk your way in to anything."

She quickly closed her mouth and just glared at him.

After a slow moment of digesting what he had said she answered, "What's that supposed to mean."

He looked back at her, this time his expression had darkened, "You know what I'm talking about – Get. Out. Of. My. Car." He spat.

They exchanged long identical glares before she bolted straight up, snatched her purse and threw open the door, "Fine!" She cried, pushing herself fiercely outside. She slammed the door near off the hinges and peered down the rolled window, "I can't believe you Syaoran – I'm telling your mother – "

"Like the hell I care," Syaoran muttered angrily, rolling up the window he started the car to the shocked look of the girl outside.

"You can't be serious! You really are leaving me here!" She cried with her mouth wide open.

As he pulled himself out of the tight space he rolled down the window and said, "I'll see you in Tomoeda – have fun hitch hiking."

All Meiling could do was sputter and gap as Syaoran turned smoothly on to the long endless country road without turning back once.

* * *

Maybe it was the guilt.

Yeah, it was pretty much the guilt.

Syaoran had driven for about half an hour and was feeling like turning around. He didn't know why he had just dumped his cousin back miles away. It was on impulse.

He was mad.

It was his temper.

Damnit.

_What if she gets mugged? Or kidnapped? _

Syaoran shook his head and tightened his grip on the wheel. _Meiling's smarter than that. No. _

Guilt.

He hated it when he would do something he'd regret.

What if she did tell mother.

_Oh yeah…I'm dying young. Very young. _

Syaoran lifted his hands off the wheel for two seconds so he could just hit his hands somewhere, "Damnit! You idiot!"

He knew there was absolutely no way he could turn back now. What the hell was up with these forever endless roads in the country anyways. There weren't any damn U-turns.

Syaoran pulled his hair back with a quick sweep of his sweaty hands. Summer was still clinging to the air. Or maybe it was just because he was worried. Maybe that's why the air was so thick and humid.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a small blue car off the side of the road. A large truck was parked behind it. It looked as if they had hit some problems, he could see a spare wheel lying besides the two vehicles. But where were the drivers?

As he came closer towards the seemingly abandoned cars he finally found where the people were. A large burly man had his grip around the shoulders of a girl about his age.

Yeah it was the guilt, why else had he pulled over. It wasn't his damn business.

"The hell," Syaoran jumped out of the door lightly and didn't bother closing the door, "What's going on here!"

"None of your shit kid." The man spat. Syaoran heard a clink in his heavy jackets. This guy was drunk.

"He's trying to rob me!"

Syaoran looked over at the girl in his arms. She was putting up a rather big fight over what appeared to be a purse. He could clearly see visible nail marks on the man's arms.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He drawled than cried out as she stepped on his foot.

Syaoran decided this was about enough he wanted to see. He put a firm hand on the man's shoulder and observed that he was a head taller than he was.

"Whadya want?" He roared, turning on him with his arms spread open, "Wana fight kid?"

Syaoran spread his weight. He had taken lessons in martial arts from private trainers. Big guys with no brains weren't exactly his idea of a good fight. But hey. He did ask for it.

He was busy calculating how much he would have to punch him before the guy was knocked unconscious when the man was sent flying off in the air and landed with a sickening crunch on his side. He groaned and fell unconscious; a beer bottle rolled out of one his pockets.

Syaoran, mouth hanging, looked back where the man had just stood and saw the girl busy straightening out herself and grinning up at him, "Yeah, sorry for bothering you."

"You did that?" He said, still shocked. Unbelievable. That guy had to be three times her weight.

"Yeah…" She said with a hint of embarrassment, than she saw his look, "Don't think just because I'm a girl – I can't fight okay?"

He looked over at her, "What's wrong with your car?"

"Flat tire," She said easily, and twisted her fingers together behind her back, "I couldn't flag anyone down and when I finally did – well – he didn't really want to help with my car." She said lightly, pointing at the man off to the side.

Than she looked at him for what seemed to be the first time, "You don't happen to have a spare tire do you?"

"Um…no." Syaoran said nervously, "Sorry."

"Oh no really – you don't have to apologize – I mean I'm thankful that you stopped to help." She said, smiling.

This girl was either smiling too much.

_Or creeping me out. _

Either way, Syaoran had never felt this much discomfort with a conversation in his entire life.

Girls were really…never a problem. They would always come to him and he'd be the one running away.

Syaoran tried to see why she was so difficult to talk to. She was rather small. Everything about her wasn't very intimidating. Maybe until she actually talked to you and gave you that smile. She had short light brown hair that ran down her face until just below the chin. It seemed a bit messy, most likely due to the past struggle. She wore a light tan blouse that was draped across her shoulders and a simple pair of jeans. On her feet downed a pair of blue flip-flops. She was looking at the road besides them.

Her eyes were a rich green. After he started trailing towards her lips, Syaoran decided to stop looking at her.

He rubbed a hand across his forehead and noticed how much he was sweating. There wasn't one tree in the entire meadow and the road was bending and twisting to the heat.

Just then a car could be heard coming their way. The girl seemed to have sensed its arrival and hurried down towards the road.

"Hey! Over here! Hey!" She called, waving her arms. The car didn't show any signs of slowing. Syaoran felt a large anxiety come over him once the car was only feets away from her. If she didn't move out of the way, she was sure to be hit.

He just barely opened his mouth to shout maybe 'WATCH OUT' when she stepped a quick step back and the car rushed past without a single glance.

She sighed deeply and walked back towards Syaoran who quickly shut his mouth.

"Oh," She said, as if just noticing him and cocked her head, "You're still here."

Syaoran was struck with an idea, "Hey – why don't you ride in my car? And we can call a tow truck on the next pay phone?"

Her eyes lit up, "Really? You would do that for a complete stranger?"

It was the guilt. How and what had just happened. Syaoran blamed it on the guilt.

"Yeah…sure." He said, now suddenly not very sure.

She stopped celebrating and looked at him with an expression so serious that he felt a chill run down his spine, "If you're not sure…I can always walk to the next phone…it's okay…I mean…I have a lot of stuff…"

The guilt. Oh yes the guilt made him talk.

"No, It's okay – get your stuff – you can ride – I'm not letting you walk twenty miles – it's a one way road anyways – it's not like I have to go anywhere else."

The girl smiled brightly and headed for her trunk. Syaoran followed.

A little voice said rather spitefully in his head.

_Oh yes…you tell Meiling she has to walk two thousand miles…but you offer a ride to a girl you just met when she only needs to walk twenty…shame shame shame._

Syaoran scowled, "It's not two thousand miles damn it."

"Did you say something?"

"What?" Syaoran looked up to see the girl walking in step with him and quickly looked away, "No – no…nothing…"

"Alright." She inserted a key and popped open the trunk.

"Moving away?" Syaoran said the first thing that came out of his mouth. Inside were three big duffel bags all crammed to its fullest.

"Um no…college." The girl gave him a side-ways grin and wrapped her hands around one particularly large bright pink bag.

"Okay yeah…" She dumped it on the ground with a satisfying crash and turned for the other two just to notice that they were already out of the trunk and in Syaoran's hands, "Um…Thank you." She laughed, "I'll lock up my car – and I'll catch up with you."

Syaoran shrugged and started his way through the tumbleweeds.

He was relieved when he saw that the car was still safely parked where he had left it. Throwing open the trunk he threw her two large packed bags in. Good thing he had put his entire luggage in the back row. At least he had room to accommodate her things, just temporarily.

"Here we are," Her voice popping up next to him, she lifted the last bag she clung with her small hands and pulled it into the trunk with a large heave.

"All set?" Syaoran asked inquiringly.

"Yep, let's go!"

Syaoran ducked underneath the hood and shut the door just as she sat down. Before rolling up his half opened window he stole a look at the poor man still sprawled out in the yellowing brown grass. He hadn't moved an inch. That girl could do some serious damage. He awoke from his thoughts to a small noise to his right. He turned in his seat.

"Sorry – it's a little messy." Syaoran apologized and scooped a can of coke off the floor. _Meiling's…_And dumped it in the back seat. Sakura watched him carefully.

"You've got a lot of stuff too," She observed the one black bag in the back seat.

"College." Syaoran answered despite his usual cold self.

It was the guilt. Now he was being nice to a complete stranger. Guilt could do strange things. _Maybe if I turn back now – I can still get Meiling._

"Really!" She said, "Which one!"

"…Tomoeda – " He had barely finished his sentence when she cut him off excitedly.

"Me too!" She laughed, "Wow! This is really weird! Hi – I'm Kinomoto Sakura – this is my last year in Tomoeda." She said swiftly, extending a hand to him.

Syaoran had half expected for her to jump on him after her excitement. A hand seemed…suspicious. He took it hesitantly and shook with his new passenger, "Li Syaoran – same." He said stiffly.

She smiled at him after he let go of the shake.

_Right. Okay. _Syaoran tore his gaze off of her addicting green eyes and on to the gray road ahead. After the first pay phone…off she goes. This was way off his charts to be giving a ride to a complete stranger. A girl stranger.  
But if she went to the same school. If he did happen to leave her…she'd haunt him in class forever.

After they had pulled back on to the main road Syaoran was suddenly reminded of something, "You do have money right? For the tow fee?"

She looked over at him, "Yeah…I'm pretty sure." Her hand went to her purse and dug around inside. Syaoran kept his eyes firmly glued to the road. The country was rather peaceful and pleasing. It was early afternoon, the sun was barely half way up the sky. Syaroan had expected to reach the city by the next morning. He had a long way to go. A long way and boring with the same things passing him over and over again. There were hardly any road signs, just a couple broken fences and an endless amount of wheat fields and yellow pastures. After a couple quiet moments she went rigid in her seat, "Oh no…my wallet's not here…I didn't check the purse after I got it back!"

Syaoran immediately fought to remain calm and keep with the road. By her meaning of "he" she must mean the man who had tried to take her purse. They were too far now to go back, "Are you absolutely sure!" He said desperately, glancing in to the rearview mirror; her car and the truck was nowhere to be seen. What had he expected?

"Yes!" She said nervously. Syaoran could see she had turned her whole bag upside down and spilled all the contents in her lap.

Syaoran fought another urge to let go of the steering wheel and hit himself across the forehead. He hadn't brought cash with him, his mother wouldn't allow it – but he had a card.

Suddenly she let out a cry, "Li! You passed the last pay phone!"

Yeah well. Naturally. Syaoran hit the brakes. The two jerked violently against their seat belts that had locked with the sudden weight change.

The car shuddered to a tight halt. Syaoran swore under his breath and caught his heart in a half skip.

Twisting his head to look at the girl besides him he muttered, "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine – that was fun." She laughed and tugged at her seatbelt.

_Fun? _

Syaoran looked away quickly. At least she wasn't hurt or anything.

"Shouldn't you park first? We are still in the middle of a one lane road." She suggested to his turned back. Syaoran's finger stopped in front of the door. Great point.

"Right." He grumbled. Turning once again to the wheel he maneuvered the vehicle to a safer point on a small stretch of dirt away from the main road.

* * *

"I'm sorry but the number you've dialed does not exist in your area or has been disconnected. Please check your number and dial again…I'm sorry but the number you've dialed does not – "

"Damnit." Syaoran shoved the black phone back on its hook and slumped against the booth, "We're in the middle of a country road and they don't have a damn tow number."

Sakura stood besides him with her hands folded together in front of her body, biting her lip. Her expression clearly read 'what should we do now?'

They had walked a whole fifteen minutes back to where Sakura had seen the payphone. Now it seemed as if it had been a waste. Syaoran was whole heartily already regretting the fact of bringing the girl along.

And he hated regretting things he did. Like Meiling for instance.

_Forget about her. She can damn well take care of herself._

"So…we can't get your car towed…" Syaoran's mind was turning, there wasn't another option. One guilt trip was enough. He couldn't leave this girl on her own. That would be too much. He stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets and looked straight at her worried expression, "I'm not going to leave you out on the road okay? Since we're going to the same place – I might as well take you all the way there."

Oh yeah. The weather had definitely been affecting his good judgment.

Her eyes lit up.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She cried and spread her arms.

Syaoran took a hasty step back, "Sorry . I don't do. hugging." He said nervously, a wave of sweat passed over him. _Maybe I should've taken off my sweater and left it in the car…_

"Oh." She laughed and dropped her arms, "Habit – but really - thank you so much…how can I repay you! I know – I'll buy you dinner once we get there – oh but wait – I don't have money – well then – maybe I could – " She put a finger to her lips and looked up at the sky.

As she continued on how grateful she was Syaoran looked past her shoulder and down the long road they had ahead. He had planned on going the whole trip with Meiling.

Yeah well.

After he had kicked her out of the car.

He had planned to go alone.

Either way. He had never expected to go on a three daylong trip to Tomoeda with an absolute stranger.

As she talked breathlessly, Syaoran felt her words swirl around him like the hot wind that tickled the endless fields surrounding them. It was only early morning on the second day of the journey. He had about a day and half left to go before he had planned to reach the city. No stops. No detours.

But now.

He had a new passenger…Sakura Kinomoto

And as she smiled at him through words Syaoran was barely hearing, he couldn't help but think.

_This was going to be one hell of a long trip…_


	2. Persistence Gets you Places

**Author's Chapterly Comments**

_Thank you for all your reviews, and I openly accept criticism because it actually helps me write my stories. I just don't like rude flaming with no reason.  
_

_**FAQ**_

_Syaoran has his own reasons for kicking Meiling out of the car. You'll see soon. _

**Disclaimer**

_I don't own the lyrics to the song "Cry"_

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**Crossing Roads**

**"Persistence Gets you Places"**

"See! You're doing that again!"

"I am not." Syaoran frowned. What was up with this girl? It's been half an hour…can't she figure out a way to entertain herself?

"There! Again! Can't you smile?" She said, grinning at him. Syaoran glanced sideways at her. She had her shoes off, and her bare feet were drawn on to her seat, she was staring at him.

"You're still frowning…" She said, "See – like this." She pulled down her mouth and made a face at him. Syaoran rolled his eyes at her and she laughed. Her laugh was addicting. It would bring up the sun itself but Syaoran forced himself to look passive.

"I'm not." Syaoran said grudgingly, turning his gaze back on to the road he struggled to keep a straight face. She didn't look very natural faking a frown. A grin was more normal for her.

"Yes you are."

"Am not – " Syaoran caught himself before beginning such a childish argument, "You know what – fine – what if I am."

"It doesn't bother you that you always scowl? Can't you smile? Please?" She demonstrated warmly.

Syaoran saw her folding her fingers under her chin and pouting at him. Normally, girls would do that just for him to say hi or notice them.

And normally.

No,

Typically, that would annoy him to no end.

This however. Why didn't it irritate him? Instead it actually irritated him that she thought he _couldn't smile. _

"I just don't smile." He said simply. Hoping she could catch his tone that meant.

End. Of. Conversation. So. Please. Stop. Talking. Thank. You.

"There is no way that you _can't _smile – you just don't do it often." She pressed urgently, dropping her cute act and just looked right at him. Syaoran shifted under her hard observing gaze.

_Guess not._

Syaoran wisely chose to remain silent and looked up at the rich blue sky. It was around noon. Lunch sounded good soon. Maybe after he stopped by at a gas station. His tank was leaning very and dangerously close to empty.

He cleared his throat when he couldn't stand her eyes on him anymore. It made him plainly nervous.

She slumped in to her chair and folded her legs underneath her, "Fine – ignore me."

This was better.

Syaoran kept his eyes on the road for five minutes.

Five heavily impregnated silent minutes.

Now this couldn't feel stranger.

Why was he so bothered by the fact that it was quiet?

_Quiet. Is. Good._

Okay…so he was curious. Syaoran finally peeled his eyes off the road and decided to sneak a peek at what she could be doing that was so interesting.

She didn't look like she was doing anything. He couldn't move his eyeballs that far from his face without permanently damaging them. _Okay. So?_

"Hey – Kinomoto." He said under his breath, his eyes still peering in her general direction. No answer.

So now she was ignoring him? No girls had ever really _ignored _him.

"Kinomoto." He said more forcefully.

Silence.

Okay, silence was about to really bother him now.

"Kinomoto…Kinomoto, are you ignoring me?" He said loudly and turned in his seat to get one good look at what she was doing.

Her eyes were closed.

_Jesus Christ – she was sleeping!_

_Who in the world could fall asleep in five minutes?_

Syaoran let out a breath of air and turned back to the road.

This girl was driving him nuts. One minute she's talking so much it _doesn't _annoy him. And the next she stops talking and that _does _annoy him.

_What if she was faking it? Just to make fun of him?_

Syaoran turned once more. No…her chest was rising slowly and her face was relaxed. She was really honestly sleeping. _For god sake, stop looking at her. _

He dropped his gaze and stared at his hands on the steering wheel.

How was Meiling doing anyways?

_Stop thinking about her. She's not worth your time._

Right. Okay…

Syaoran watched the fences rush past him. The empty gravel rolling consistently underneath his wheels and the unmoving sky above. It seemed he was in a movie. A constantly repeating movie. The fence. The cattle. The road. The sky. The mountain.

Oh yeah. The only factor that wasn't part of his simple and easy movie...

That girl he had just spontaneously decided to stop and help sitting and sleeping next to him. Yeah. That wasn't really part of the country scene film.

What was he going to do with her anyways?

_Just shut up and drive will you. _Syaoran scowled at his thoughts. _Fine._

_

* * *

_

Syaoran pulled in to the next gas station. It had been half an hour and he hadn't looked at her once. He felt somewhat relieved. He didn't exactly know why. But he needed to just get out of the car and more than just two feet away from her.

Once he stopped next to a station he stopped his car and stole one quick nervous glance her way. She was still asleep. Good.

Maybe it was how peaceful she looked sleeping. How her head had somehow found its way against the window and how she looked so natural being relaxed and comfortable.

Syaoran quietly opened the door and winced as his sneaker made contact with the hard gravel floor.

Scowling at the heavy smell of gasoline, Syaoran moved both legs to a place where he could stand. He looked over his shoulder. She was still sleeping.

Syaoran lifted himself out of the car carefully and shut the door with a soft click. From outside the window, she looked a lost smaller and farther away and a great relief over took him.

He held his breath.

Thank god she was a heavy sleeper.

Syaoran took in the fresh air that greatly compared to that of inside the car. Now he could actually move and stand. It felt good.

Syaoran stretched noiselessly before leaving the car.

* * *

"That would be…twenty dollars and thirteen cents," The man said behind the table. 

Syaoran fished out his card and handed it to him.

"Alright – just wait." The counter clerk swiped the card and the ancient screen changed to show its acceptance, "Alrighty then youn'n you're all done – have a safe trip." The man gave him a toothy chuckle and handed him his card and his receipt.

Syaoran muttered a quick 'thanks' and hurried out the door. Somewhat – though he was anxious to leave the car, now he was anxious to get back.

Upon nearing his car he noticed the window of the passenger's seat to be particularly empty looking. Unless Sakura just happened to have ducked down really low…

Syaoran quickened up his pace. He still couldn't see her. His heart caught up in his throat. He forgot to lock the door. What if someone got in and…

"Kinomoto?" He said once he reached the passenger window, he peered inside. Nobody was sitting there. There was an indent in the seat where she had once sat. It hadn't been long since she left. He tried the door. It was unlocked.

"Kinomoto?" He said wildly. _Where did she go? _He looked around him. She wasn't hiding around the car…not behind the tanks…he hadn't seen her in the store either. So where was she?

_God why are you so worried?_

"Looking for me?" Someone said cheerfully.

Syaoran nearly jumped a foot in the air and whirled to see Sakura standing with her hands together and looking up at him, "Oh god! Don't do that!" Syaoran cried out loud, "Where were you?"

She peered up at him suspiciously, "…the bathroom…"

_The bathroom…for Jesus Christ...she was only at the bathroom...!_

"…you could've at least told me about that – god – you could've – " Syaoran stopped talking suddenly and tore his eyes away from her.

"Worried?" She laughed; she tugged at his arm and pulled open the door.

Syaoran stood frozen to the spot. He had just let her touch him. He hadn't even let Meiling touch him, not ever.

_Snap. Out. of. it. _

"You sure you're okay…?" She called through the window.

Syaoran jerked and looked around lost. Right. Going.

Crossing over to his side of the car stiffly, he found it difficult to use his legs. They felt like they were carved out of wood and the limbs couldn't bend.

He could feel her observing eyes on him as he rounded the front quickly.

Reaching the other side he pulled himself through the door and shut it behind him. Taking a deep breath he inserted the keys and started the engine noiselessly.

Sakura was still looking at him in a strange and peculiar way. Syaoran realized he hadn't answered her question and said quickly, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay," She shrugged, shot him one more look, and looked out the window.

* * *

"You have four sisters! Wow!" Sakura said with amazement, "I wish I had four sisters – I only have one big annoying brother that calls me monster all the time – but he can be really sweet sometimes too – " 

Syaoran didn't know how he had somehow engaged himself in to a conversation about their families. It had just slowly happened.

"Do your sisters and you get along?" She asked.

"Yeah. No. Sometimes." He said indecisively as they ran over a small bump in the road. Syaoran imagined the scenery talking to him and not the green-eyed girl that was sitting besides him. This way, he wouldn't have to look at her.

A road sign that read '70' smiled at him, "Than you're really lucky – don't you think?"

No, he had never really _thought _about how lucky he was.

"You must get a lot of girl advice from them." The cow on the side of the road laughed. Or Syaoran tried to imagine it laughing anyways. He had to keep himself distracted.

Syaoran could feel his face turn hot, "More than I need."

She turned her attention to him and just smiled. Syaoran suddenly wondered why he couldn't fix that smile to an inanimate object like a cloud, he just had to look at her, "At least you'll be ahead of other clueless guys – don't you have a girlfriend?"

"No," Syaoran said a bit to quickly.

"Oh…well…" Sakura looked out the window distantly.

The two sat in silence for a moment before Sakura spoke again.

Syaoran had slowly grown more and more accustomed to her voice during the past hour. Now he wasn't as tense. It was almost relaxing to hear her talk.

"Can we listen to music?" She asked hopefully.

"No." Syaoran replied on instinct. He had always rejected music in his car. Meiling would always follow music with her usual sweet talk and trying to get her hands on him.

Sakura looked a little depressed, "Why not?"

"Because I said so."

"You sound like my brother."

"Either way, no."

"Yes…please? What about rock?"

"I don't like rock."

Sakura looked surprised, "A guy that doesn't like rock – wow…"

Syaoran raised his eyebrows at the road and hummed, "And so what if I don't?"

"Please?" She said, simply looking at him.

Syaoran firmly willed himself to keep his eyes on the road, "No."

"Please please please!"

Syaoran stayed silent.

"I can always scream out the window and claim you kidnapped me." She threatened mischievously. Syaoran caught a glimpse of her finger on the door.

Okay, that got Syaoran's attention, "That would be lying."

"So?" She gave him a small smile, "Please Li! Just one song?"

Syaoran groaned at the space in front of him secretly wishing he could turn his whole body around and groan in to her face, "Fine! Fine! ONE SONG."

Sakura laughed and popped a CD she had in her hand in to the car player.

Syaoran was now productively grumbling to himself that he would probably stuck listening to heavy rock music so she could probably just annoy him with.

And was surprised when instead, a melody background played and Sakura started singing. Her voice sounded like a warm beautiful cloudless day; flawless, perfect. In other words.

Syaoran found it absolutely impossible to tune her out.

"_I'll always remember….it was late afternoon…"_

"What are you doing?" Syaoran interrupted, looking over at the girl who had her eyes closed. And the music that was coming out of his CD player had no words to it.

She skipped a line and opened her eyes, "I'm singing." She said obviously, smiled, shut her eyes and continued.

Syaoran pressed his jaw firmly shut and tried to keep his eyes and ears focused on the road.

"_Staring up at the dark gray sky…and I was changed…"_

He knew this song. Sakura breathed and her voice filled the car with diamonds and sunrises as the song picked up beat.

"_In places no one would fi-ind…All your feeling so de-ep insi-ide…It was then that I realized that forever was in your eyes…"_

"_The moment I sa-aw you cry – "_

Now it was Sakura's turn to turn at him with a shocked expression, "You can sing."

_Okay, **bad idea** smart ass_, "No. I can't."

"No really – that was perfect!" Sakura said, ignoring the music that was still playing.

"I can't sing." Syaoran protested, shaking his head stubbornly.

"I heard that last line Li – don't act like you didn't sing that – and I know you know that you can sing! And really well!" She said, pointing at him.

"I can't – "

"Yes you can – c'mon – admit it – you sing."

Syaoran was getting steadily more annoyed, "No."

Sakura laughed, "Fine – but just so you know – you _can so _sing." She said through her child-like laughter, innocent and pure.

Syaoran frowned to himself because he enjoyed her laughter as she leaned back in her chair.

Maybe it was impulse.

Why else would he have actually decided to…

sing that last line.

Li Syaoran would never sing. Hell no.

For the next two minutes he remained stubbornly stuck to the windshield as the girl besides him threw his whole good sense out the window with her voice.

_I wanted to ho-old you_

_  
I wanted to ma-ake it go awa-ay_

_  
I wanted to know you_

_  
I wanted to make your ev-erything… all right_

_  
I'll always remembe-er..._

_  
It was late afternoon…_

_

* * *

_

A while after the singing scenario, Syaoran was uneasily aware it was rather quiet.

No.

Too quiet.

Eerily Quiet.

_Scary Quiet._

"Kinomoto? You're not sleeping again are you?"

Amazingly, someone replied his question.

"Hm? No." She said, her voice sounded distracted.

Syaoran kept his eyes on the road. The sun was rather high, and he wondered if he should stop by the next town for lunch.

More silence.

If she wasn't sleeping, than what the hell would she be doing?

Than his ears picked up something, something small. The scratching of lead on paper. Was she writing something?

He could feel eyes on him.

More specifically.

Her eyes, he could just feel them running down his profile.

It made him uneasy, nervous, he felt his palms grow clammy with sweat.

"What are you doing?" He asked again, this time expecting a straight answer.

"Hm…?" She answered absent-mindedly.

_Well that answered his question._

"I asked what you were doing…" Syaoran repeated.

"Doing?" She echoed.

Syaoran twitched and gripped the wheel tighter. Why wasn't she answering his questions?

More scratching.

The curiosity getting the better of him Syaoran pressed on, "Are you writing?"

"Mm…no…" She murmured.

_Scratch._

Her eyes were traveling across the contours of his face, he felt the air around him turn dry and hot.

Not able to take the suspense any longer he turned his head to look at her only to achieve a large shriek that sent Syaoran grabbing the wheel so they wouldn't run off the road.

"_What _WHAT!" He shouted, furiously regaining his senses after Sakura's cry. His knuckles were tight and his shoulders had tensed considerably.

All he had seen was a pamphlet of paper and pencil before he was forced to turn back to the road.

"DON'T MOVE! You almost messed me up!"

Syaoran scowled as he regained control over the fast moving vehicle, "Messed up what?"

_Damn it…she almost got us killed!_

"Stop twitching! You were perfectly still before!"

"What are you doing?"

_Scratch Scratch._

"Li!"

"Tell me what you're doing or I'm going to keep squirming." Syaoran said, twisting his face around to look over at her seat again, this time, well prepared for another outburst.

She, however, didn't shriek but stuck her tongue out at him. The sheet of paper was clutched against her chest so he couldn't see what was on it.

She had her knees drawn up to hold it in place and behind one ear tucked a normal yellow school pencil. Her back was crowded to the door and her whole body was twisted to face him.

"What is that?" Syaoran asked quickly.

"Nothing – keep your eyes on the road Li."

Grumbling, Syaoran checked the road to see nothing had changed and turned back, "Why won't you show me?"

"I'll show you later." Sakura answered, wrinkling her nose up at him.

_Fair enough._

"Well – you said so yourself." Syaoran grumbling, turned back to the road feeling a bit more content knowing she would reveal whatever she was writing to him even if it wasn't now. He spotted an exit just a while away and pointed it out for her.

"Feel like eating lunch?" He asked, taking the wheel in an indication to make the turn.

* * *

"You couldn't find anything – _less_ – fancy?" She hissed, sitting rather stiffly in the velvet seat. Her voice sounded uncomfortable. She looked uncomfortable. Well who wouldn't be uncomfortable wearing flip-flops in an expensive French Diner. 

"I'm sorry – but this was the only place that we didn't have to wait for." Syaoran answered, frowning at the heavily decorated tablecloth in front of him and self-doubting himself for stopping here for an easy lunch.

"Ever heard of something called fast food?" She said shooting him a look while nervously moving around her spoons and forks.

"Hey – if you saw a McDonalds – "

"How may we serve you madam et monsieur?" The waiter lifted a rather curious eyebrow at the two casually dressed teenagers. The other parties in the room had dresses and suits. They seemed to be the center of attention and Syaoran didn't like how they were staring at them.

Syaoran coughed and looked at the menu _Let's see..._

_ Lobster...oysters...crab..._

_  
_"Um – do you have anything that's not…seafood?"

The butler looked at him, "Mais monsieur this is a marine diner." Than gave him a stare that clearly meant, _you must be joking. _

"We'll just have two cups of water and two salads, thank you." Sakura interjected ignoring the heavy glares coming her way.

"Ah – and would that be all?" The butler sniffed.

"Yes please," Sakura said politely, folding her arms across her lap and blinking innocently up at him.

"Ah – they will be right up." Jotting something down he departed the table and Sakura caught Syaoran's gaze.

Innocently she returned with a sweet, "Yes? How may I help you?"

Syaoran did not return the same pureness and scowled.

"Are you trying to starve me? A Salad?"

Sakura snorted, something Syaoran had never seen a girl do in front of him, "It's healthy for you at least! You didn't seem to like sea food very much."

Well. He didn't have anything to say against that. Syaoran resorted to sitting crouched in his chair, arms crossed, and looking sour at the chandelier dangling overhead. Which was basically how he spent the time as they waited for their food.

No not food.

_Morsel._

_As they waited for their Morsel. damn..._

_

* * *

_

"That wasn't so bad…" Sakura remarked as Syaoran stalked out of the diner in to the bright blue sky.

"Let's just go." Syaoran said, tasting the unfamiliar feeling of lettuce and tomatoes in his mouth. He was no way in hell going to admit that he had enjoyed that. _No way._

"Aw Li…" Sakura followed him in a half light jog. They reached his dark blue car.

Syaoran opened his door and pulled himself inside without a word.

Sakura remained outside his door, with her hands crossed.

He peered through the window, "What now?" He demanded impatiently.

"Admit it – it wasn't that bad." Sakura looked at him stubbornly, her voice sounded like a firm brick wall.

"No – now stop being immature and get in."

"First you have to admit it."

Syaoran stared at her. _What was up with this girl? It was just food._

"Why,"

"Because…or else I'll feel bad…'cause you did pay for it…" She said, looking down at her hands.

Guilt. More guilt.

Syaoran looked at the wheel, his fingers, the windshield, the side mirrors, and finally back at the window. Groaning exasperatedly he rolled the glass down so he could see and hear her correctly.

"If I said that it wasn't that bad will you get in?"

"Yes." She said, happily.

Syaoran smirked, "Well I just said it."

Now it was her turn to frown, "You did not – " Her eyes widened, "That wasn't fair! That was cheap! You have to say it again!" She said, feeling sold out.

"No way – you're getting in."

Sakura's eyes sparkled mischievously, "Than admit that you can sing."

"Now you're pushing it." Syaoran simply started the car and without another word, began backing out. After a while out of the parking space he looked out the window expectantly, "Coming in? Or should I leave you here."

She stood firmly in her spot, her arms crossed, "Not until you admit it, both of them."

This girl…

Was starting to really get on his nerves…

He frowned, "Why the hell do you want me to admit it so badly?"

"No reason." She said, smiling.

"Oh well – your loss – I have your bags and I can leave you whenever I want to."

"So? Than leave." She sounded sure of herself.

Well that took him by surprise. Did she just tell _him _to leave?

He rolled up the window and muttered, "Maybe I will."

He pulled the rod to drive and started for the road. She hadn't budged from her spot.

The farther and farther Syaoran drove away. The more and more he felt as if something was slowly sinking in his stomach.

What the hell was he doing?

He wasn't going to do the same he did to Meiling with Sakura.

Sakura didn't even do anything to deserve that. What kind of a guy…

Almost anxiously, he quickly backed up the car until it was right next to the girl who was still waiting for him, a smile planted on her face.

Syaoran felt as if he didn't deserve a smile for what he was just about to do.

Syaoran rolled down the window reluctantly and looked over at the waiting girl.

"Okay. Fine. It wasn't that bad. And I know how to sing. Now will you please get in the car?"

She sincerely smiled that sent a chill down Syaoran's neck, "Thank you!" Skipping around the back she appeared in the passenger's door and slid inside, "I was worried a moment there." She said gently as she pulled her seat belt across her lap.

"Now what kind of guy would I be if I left a girl all by herself." Syaoran muttered blandly to no one in particular. Basically. Trying to lie himself away from the self-guilt with Meiling.

Sakura heard him and looked up thoughtfully, "I don't know…maybe…you." She laughed, "I'm just kidding – of course you wouldn't."

_Right. Of course not._

"So, since we're on subject - why don't you admit some other stuff?" She grinned, looking attentively at Syaoran as she drew up her legs.

Syaoran's jaw jumped. _He had had quite enough._ "I can might as well admit shit if you keep pushing it."

Two hours later, the sun had sunk considerably lower in the sky. Syaoran was getting rather sore sitting behind the wheel and his eyes were getting bored of the constant gravel and his back was tiring of the consistent jolts and rumbling of the endless road.

It was her who spotted it first.

"Look!" She shouted excitedly, pointing out the window at the bright stretch of blue appearing over the hill, " It's the ocean! Li, look!"

Syaoran pretended to ignore her. Surely after resting he had thought she would have more common sense. Apparently it had only re-energized her to want to talk more.

He jumped when a hand touched his elbow.

Jerking around he looked straight at her and raised an eyebrow, "What about it?"

"Let's stop!"

Syaoran groaned and swerved his gaze back at the road, "Let's not."

There was no way she was going to boss him in to this one.

_Not going to happen._

Five minutes later Syaoran was rolling up his sand laden jeans and complaining loudly in to the ocean breeze. He had given up on his shoes and they lay deserted next to Sakura's flip-flops.

Syaoran folded the last crease in his pants and straightened up to stretch. The air was salty and cool. The wind was no longer dry. Syaoran swept his hair from his hot face and gazed around for the girl who had dragged him down the slopes. Syaoran looked longingly back up the hill where his car was parked.

Why couldn't he go back.

His car looked lonely.

_Where the heck was she? _

He spotted her right at the water's edge. Bare-footed and her pants rolled past the knees. She had just flipped a cartwheel as a wave crashed along the shore.

Laughing like a twelve-year old she called for him and splashed the water that swirled around her pale ankles.

Syaoran just stood and stared.

_No way in hell…_

"C'mon Li! It's not going to bite you!"

_Okay_

_Just this once. _

_Nobody can see me. Nobody knows who I am…they won't even know its me…_

Syaoran grudgingly sulked towards the girl, who had bent over, with her hands on her knees, peering at him with bright eyes.

As he neared her he saw the wet sand streaked down her arms and legs. Her pants were mildly damp at the edges.

He groaned loudly as she pulled him closer to the water. He didn't want to get wet. He really didn't want to be here.

"Stop being so scared of the water silly." She teased, jerking him as close as she could pull him. The freezing cold water barely rushed past Syaoran's toes but he stood his ground, his heels dug deep in the warm sand.

The sky was a beautiful blue, only a couple gray clouds lingered past the scope of vision. The water glittered like crystals and the waves were gentle. Clear blue and chilling to the touch.

Sakura dropped his arm and wandered away, deeper in to the coming waves. She laughed and twirled on the spot, her arms flying around her.

Syaoran found it more and more difficult to tear his eyes away from her body. She looked like some kind of angel with the sun shining behind her, lighting every part of her hair and her eyes.

Well.

**Wake up Li.**

Sakura burst out laughing as Syaoran cried in shock and fell on his back, the front of his shirt stinging with unfamiliar coldness.

_She splashed me! She actually -_

Syaoran, sputtering and grumbling he got to his feet swiftly and without thinking he stormed in to the waves dunked his palms in the water and threw a handful of sparkling ocean water at her.

She shrieked and flew back just as it landed flat across her legs, not exactly where he had intended to get. But Syaoran had other plans. He was knee-deep in water now, and the earlier thoughts of staying safe and dry were swept away with her laughter.

He had just bent over in to the swirling waters when another large cold wave flew on to his open back. A cold freezing sensation shot down his skin and tingled his newly awakened senses.

Well. There goes his perfectly dry shirt.

Syaoran looked up and smirked, "Oh you did not…"

"Yes – and what are you going to do about that Li Syaoran?" She teased, sticking her tongue out at him like a child, "C'mon – are you a man or are you a chicken?"

She laughed and shrieked as he tore after her, their feet splashing in the heavy waters and sand that sunk with each step. Their laughter rang for miles up the shores and down the cliffs.

She wasn't that fast of a runner.

Either that or she wanted him to catch him.

Their chase had took them away from the water's edge and on to the dry beach, Syaoran felt the sand stick to his wet feet and legs but was only aware of her running from him.

"Got you," He called as he reached her shoulder. Laughing, she turned around and to his shock and amazement; she grabbed him around the arm and pulled him to the floor with surprising strength.

Syaoran landed on his back so hard that stars shot up in his eyes and the blue sky was suddenly alit with fireworks.

"How did you – " Syaoran gasped as he looked up from the floor at the smiling girl. Her hair blowing past her eyes and in to the wind lighting up with the sun as Syaoran squinted.

"I work out," Sakura replied humorously and jumped a foot away as Syaoran made a move to grab her wrist, "I wasn't ready – don't cheat!" She shouted, her laughter ringing as Syaoran got to his feet. He took one step towards her.

But she stopped and held up her palms, "Let's stop – look at you – you're all wet and dirty!" She said, pointing at him.

_Finally. She does have common sense after all. _

Syaoran gave her one relieved glance and just fell to the floor again with a large crash. He sensed the alarm in her voice, "Li?"

But Syaoran comforted her worries by shutting his eyes and folding his arms behind his head, than he stretched his body out on the golden sand and relaxed.

He could feel the sand underneath his bare toes, the beach crumbling beneath him as he spread his weight. With every coming wave he could hear it crashing and receding just in front of him. With his eyes closed, every feeling and sound was tuned to each and every fine detail. Like a small dew of water sliding down a fragile spider web in the early morning.

Though the world was simply warm and black he could feel her lying down besides him. He didn't really know what she was doing, but it was good to know someone was here sharing this peacefulness with him.


	3. You're Beautiful

_Author's Chapterly Comments:_

_**So friends, I have just released the third chapter to Crossing Roads and still have humbly three more already completed chapters up my sleeve. I had planned on updating Friday, but the suspense got the better of me. Alright some reviewing replies.**_

_So...I know, a bit unrealisitc that Syaoran's sudden trust in this complete stranger but that's how the story is brought out to be. Because he was feeling so horrible about what he did to Meiling, the guilt was so thick that he couldn't bring himself to not aid in someone else' need. So therefore. Voila. Sakura. lol. I know, bad explanation but it'll get better as the story goes on. Meiling's scenerio is still under wraps, but it'll most likely be revealed in the next chapter. hint hint. So without any further ado. Crossing Roads. _**  
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* * *

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** Crossing Roads**

"**Beautiful"**

"What are you majoring in? Studies I mean – in Tomoeda?" Sakura asked, pulling at her damp hair.

"It doesn't really matter what I take – my mother wishes for me to inherit the head of our clan," Syaoran shrugged, focusing on the road ahead. The two had laid out on the beach for a while and dried off. Now his car smelled vaguely like sand and salt.

"Oh – well – I'm going in to arts and entertainment – Singing – Dancing – Drawing – anything really." Sakura flicked the water out the window and draped her slim arm across the door, "I can understand why your mother would want you to become the head of your clan but don't you have a choice in it?"

Syaoran was taken aback, "No of course not, I was born in line – there's no one else who can take the place."

Sakura leaned forward, "But what if you did have a choice – would you do something else? Would you run away?"

Syaoran narrowed his eyes, his mind churning at these new thoughts and ideas, "I think my clan is the only place I belong."

"Oh," She pulled herself in to the seat and the car was subdued into peace.

"So…where are we going to stop tonight?" Her voice chimed, turning to him curiously.

Syaoran furrowed his brow and thought heavily as he took another deep breath of thick salty air, "I don't know, whatever comes up."

The two dropped in to a calm serene silence as Syaoran stared up overhead. The sky wasn't exactly the bright blue it used to be.

* * *

What was wrong with the weather?

Wasn't it sky blue and everything just a moment ago.

And now it was…

_Raining…_

Syaoran cursed their bad luck. He could barely see through the thick curtains and buckets of water that flooded the windshield. And the quickly darkening sky wasn't helping much either.

"I think we should stop for the night." Sakura said softly, she was curled in a ball across the seat. Syaoran looked over at the huddled girl. Her cheeks were rosy red and she sniffed loudly.

"Are you cold?"

As a reply, she dutifully sneezed and started shivering.

Syaoran sighed to himself. He had survived a whole good nine hours with this girl. She hadn't talked that much, she seemed a bit more tired after they had lunch and ran around in the sand. She slept for three hours and looked out the window for the rest of the time.

"I have a sweater – in the back – you can get that."

She looked over gratefully at him and reached a small arm out behind her. He watched her as she pulled one of his enormous gray sweaters over her arms and head.

It was really too big for her. Syaoran was pretty sure if she were on her feet, it would reach her knees.

"Thanks," She said quietly, and huddled her self against the seat.

Syaoran shrugged and looked out the window; he had seen blurry lights through the heavy rain.

A hotel. A place to stay, thank god.

"I found a place we could stay for the night," He said to no one in particular.

Sakura didn't say anything.

"Kinomoto?" He asked, frowning. Finally he turned towards her, "Saku – "

She was breathing deeply in to his large hood that was pulled over her head. Her hair tumbled out of all the holes and crannies that it left. And her eyes where closed.

Syaoran smiled quietly as he turned back to the wheel, "Sleeping again…"

* * *

Syaoran threw one more glance at the window before leaving his car. The wheels were muddy and soggy from the damp road and water trickled down the curves and contours of the vehicle. Syaoran sighed at the sight and started for the elevator.

A woman was already standing inside, smiling warmly at the tousled expression on Syaoran's face.

"Worried?" She said, her lips spreading as Syaoran entered the hotel and the doors slid shut.

Syaoran gave her a quizzical look. _Huh?_

"Wasn't that your girlfriend sleeping in your car – " She cut short at the look Syaoran had given her, "Whoops – sorry – did I mean fiancé? No? Wife?"

"I barely know her," Syaoran replied sullenly just as the doors slid open on the lobby floor. He stepped out wordlessly and didn't give the woman another glance.

He nearly stumbled back at the enormous crowds that wandered in the room. This was a crazy amount of people to be staying at such a no man's land for the night. Syaoran crossed the room where the long front desk spread and pulled his elbows on to the countertop catching the attention of an elderly lady.

She waved at him irritably, "Sorry – we're out of rooms." Than she dropped her arm and went back to a stack of papers she had been reading.

_What? Out of Rooms? There couldn't have been any more hotels, not for miles._

"What do you mean?" Syaoran demanded, pushing his arms farther on the counter. The lady looked up and scowled.

"It means – we don't have any rooms." The woman said, "Next!"

Syaoran was nearly thrown aside as a pale man slammed a card on to the counter, "I'm checking out!" He nearly shouted, his voice shaking slightly and his fingers trembled.

"Yes of course sir – this late at night – it's pouring." The women chattered as she took the key from him.

"My wife had an emergency." The man breezed, looking panicky.

The woman turned on the fuming Syaoran and said quickly, "Well you're in luck sir – you can have this man's room."

Syaoran frowned slightly, "But I need two rooms."

"Well I'm sorry if we can't throw someone out to accommodate you," She glared at him before swiveling back to the pale man, "you're all checked out sir – thank you for staying and I hope you enjoyed yourself." The woman turned on Syaoran again, "Look – this place is packed with tourists, students like yourself and its raining outside – everyone wants to get out – now we have this one room – nothing's wrong with it – so you either want to stay here – or you don't."

Syaoran snatched the key off the counter and glowered, "I'll remember your hospitality m'am."

"Any time sir – I hope you'll enjoy your stay." She shot him a beaming smile and shoved a pile of papers in his face, "Please fill out our customer satisfaction surveys."

Syaoran was already stalking off twirling the cardkey in his fingers and thinking up ways this could work out.

_Maybe Sakura could sleep in the room, and I could take the car. _

He reached the elevator just as the metal gates slid open.

"Li!"

Syaoran looked up from his thoughts to see Sakura standing behind the doors, clutching the ends of her shirt and glaring at him, "Why didn't you tell me you left – you didn't have to leave me in the car."

"I didn't want to wake you," Syaoran replied as she walked up to him. Syaoran took a step back as she neared.

Her eyes skewered the room, "It's really crowded…did you manage to get a room?"

She was still wearing her sweater. And it did reach past her knees. She looked ridiculous.

"Yes – one room." He said lifting up the card absentmindedly, "You can take it – I'll sleep in the car."

That jarred her awake, "What! No! You paid for it! No way am I letting you sleep in the car!"

Syaoran caught his tongue. Usually the girls would be begging for the one room or in other cases, begging for him to go with them in to the room. And she wants to sleep in the car?

He sputtered furiously, "Are you crazy? You really expect me to sleep on a bed when you're sleeping in a freezing seat outside in the garage?"

Sakura dragged him away from the door of the elevator and started for the ones that led to the rooms, "And you expect me to do the same?"

"Yes I do as a matter of fact," Syaoran shot back, they stopped in front of the room elevators.

Sakura's face was tinged with pink most likely from the temperature change of the garage to the heated lounge.

"Well – I'll tell you that – " A loud voice interrupted them.

"…I'm tired…let's go upstairs…"

Syaoran froze and snapped his head up.

_The hell. _

Syaoran cut Sakura's rant off with a sharp gesture and looked in the direction of the very familiar voice.

_Meiling. _

He had forgotten all about Meiling.

There was no mistaken. Her raven hair, those red ribbons, those piercing eyes. The clothes she was wearing.

_how did she get here?_

Syaoran nervously moved Sakura farther away from the couple and punched the button.

_This is not good, definitely not good. _He echoed in his head.

Sakura tugged at his elbow and whispered, "Why can't I talk?"

"Shhhhhhh…!" He hissed, holding her back so she couldn't see anything.

The elevator arrived with a small ding and the doors slid open. A crowd of people hastily emptied out and Syaoran pulled Sakura in with him. Meiling was making her way towards them, her hand linked around the elbow of a strange man Syaoran's never seen before.

Syaoran waited almost anxiously for the elevator to empty and quickly punched in the level they had booked and watched as the girl came closer and closer. And just as the doors were barely closed Syaoran was almost positive that she saw him.

Their eyes locked for a fraction of a second.

And Syaoran witnessed the fury behind those red pupils. He already knew how much trouble he was in.

Only when the door closed with a small oomph did Syaoran breathe.

Sakura was looking frustrated, "You're acting weird."

"On second thought – maybe we'll figure out a way to sleep _inside_ the room – after all – there are two beds." Syaoran said breathlessly. _There was no way am I risking walking back down that lobby in to the garage. Not with her standing there._

"Li…what is going on? Tell me!" Sakura said, ignoring his attempt to change the subject.

Syaoran avoided her gaze and stared at the doors. Why was this elevator taking an incredibly long time to move?

"Who was that girl and why didn't you want her to see you?" Sakura said, a strange smile on her lips.

Syaoran froze. _How did she figure that out? Damn it._

He looked at her in his large gray sweater, smiling up at him like she'd known him for years. And not simply hours.

"Nothing…I don't know her…"

"You're lying…" She accused like a child, her eyes sparkling at this new discovery, "Is she your ex girlfriend?"

_DAMNIT! How does she figure out all of these things?_

"She's…" Syaoran groaned loudly and pulled a hand through his sticky hair. It was a constant habit of his. Now he realized how much he needed a nice hot shower, his clothes smelled like salt.

"It's okay – you don't have to tell me." Sakura said suddenly, cutting in to the very heated thoughts that were whirling around Syaoran's head.

Syaoran looked down at her surprised, "I don't?"

"Nope – if you don't want to tell me – I'm not forcing you to." She said cheerfully as the doors miraculously slid open on their level. She jumped outside. Syaoran yawned as he followed her out. Unlike her, he didn't have a good five hours of sleep. But now he considerably relaxed feeling relieved that he didn't have to say anything about Meiling.

Syaoran found himself watching her walk. The way her back was straight and how she would swing her arms slightly out and how her legs would bend the way they would. The way her flip-flops followed after her small feet.

"Li…we're here." She said, gesturing at the door.

809

He handed her the key and she opened the door in one swift motion. Syaoran yawned again as the room revealed two twin beds with matching sheets and two squashy armchairs. One enormous window with the curtains drawn covered the entire opposite wall.

"Wow – it's so beautiful!" Sakura cried out from the window. She had thrown open the curtains and across the darkening sky there were a roll of green and yellow meadows.

Syaoran would've agreed with her if he hadn't found it incredibly difficult to keep his eyes open. He struggled to a chair and threw himself on it, "You can go take a shower…I'll wait."

Sakura stopped gazing out the window and looked over at him, "But Li…I don't have clothes to change in to…"

Syaoran opened his already closing eyes. _Right. _Their things were still in the garage.

"Uhh…I'll go get your bag – you just go do whatever you girls do in the bathroom." He shut his eyes again.

"Okay," Sakura smiled at him and disappeared behind the restroom door.

Sakura stood in front of the bath and stripped off Syaoran's sweater and her clothes. For safety measure she had locked the door. Though she was pretty sure her companion she had driven with for the past 9 hours wouldn't be the kind of guy to spy on a girl for fun – she couldn't be too sure. Touching the running water she liked the temperature and plugged the bath up.

Running a hotel plastic comb through her hair Sakura frowned at all the tangles and the smudges on her face. The day had been a whole adventure. She had never traveled with a complete stranger before.

And by all means.

If her brother were still here, he would kill her for it.

Sakura smiled, but he was nice. _It was lucky for him to stop by and offer me a ride…and it's such a long trip…I must be such a bother for him…he had to buy lunch and pay for this room I'm staying in…_

Sakura bent over to take her pants and fold them. When a wrinkled and crumpled five-dollar bill fell out of the pocket.

Her eyes grew wide. _Oh right! _

Sakura suddenly brightened. She knew the perfect thing to do with this money. _I'll buy dinner._ She smiled to herself. It was the least she could do to pay him for all the things he was doing for a complete stranger.

Sakura gasped when she realized the bath was still filling and threatening to flood over the brim.

_Oops…forgot about that. _She hastily grabbed the handles and shut them both off.

Sakura was busy thinking about what Syaoran might want to eat as she stepped out of the bathroom door. She was only wearing his sweater and in one hand she clutched her clothes, in the other, she was drying her hair. She felt beyond than better after her hot bath. Her skin was soft and cleaned and she no longer smelled like a mixture between dirt, sand, and mud.

_Now where did he put my bag? _

Sakura spotted her large pink bag sitting on one of the beds. Smiling she opened it and inserted the dirty clothes. Fumbling through the different shirts she found her PJ bottoms and a clean shirt to wear in bed.

Turning around aimlessly she said, "Li? I'm going to go change than I'll go buy dinner okay?"

No answer. Sakura looked around the room. _Where was he?_

"Syaoran?"

She found him sitting in a chair. His head was lolling down on his chest and he was fast asleep. His auburn hair was messily arranged over his eyes and his arms were crossed across his chest as if he was waiting for Sakura to finish taking a shower.

_He was exhausted…_

Sakura smiled sadly. He looked so much nicer when he was relaxed. _And he still got my bag even though he was so tired…_

Sakura sighed, "Okay…I'll just buy breakfast instead."

* * *

Syaoran woke first. It was the light in his face. He had probably accidentally left the curtains apart. Now he looked painfully in to the bright blue sky of early morning.

He felt something draped heavily across his arms and noticed a large brown hotel blanket hanging loosely over his dirty shirt.

Syaoran peeled it off of him and got up, stretched and yawned.

He wrinkled his nose at how his clothes smelled after night than looked around the brightly lit room.

His back ached horribly.

Syaoran's eyes stopped on the bed in front of him. A light brown haired head poked from out of the covers.

_Who? _

The events of yesterday tumbled to him like a dream he had forgotten. _Sakura. Of course._

Syaoran lifted the corners of his mouth a little. She was still sleeping and the heavy sheets were drawn to her chin. Her back was to him and he could see just the edges of her new shirt.

_I'll just take a shower and wake her later…_

Syaoran headed for the bathroom.

Taking in the moisture before entering the running shower, Syaoran recapped all the things he had done the other day.

Let's see.

_Dumped Meiling. _

_Helped a girl with a flat tire._

_Had lunch with her. _

_Spent nine hours in a car with her. _

_Spent a half an hour at the beach with her._

_Slept in the same room with her. _

Okay, that was good enough. Syaoran forced his thoughts away from the uncomfortable feeling he was getting. It was an absurd thing he had done the other day. Whatever had urged him to offer such an extensive ride to a complete stranger had left his mind drawing blank.

Whatever he was thinking…

After a soothing shower Syaoran dried off his damp hair and pulled on a pair of jeans. Staying in the bathroom for such a long time, he carelessly didn't remember where he was and simply opened the steaming door and stepped outside.

**Shirtless. **

"Breakfast! – oh." Sakura stopped where she was, a plate of blue berry muffins in her hand and blushed.

"Sa – Sakura!" Syaoran said. _Right. How could he forget? Idiot! IDIOT!_

He grabbed a nearby shirt and pulled it over his head quickly. Sakura still had her eyes elsewhere but she said rather cheerfully, "I bought breakfast!"

Syaoran looked over at her uneasily and muttered, "Thanks…how did you – "

"I found my lunch money yesterday in my jeans," Sakura answered happily, handing him the plate. She finally looked at him and directed a smile his way, "I waited for you to get up so I could surprise you."

"Oh…well – I'm surprised?" He said rather passively.

Which only made her laugh more. Syaoran frowned, "What's so funny."

"Nothing." She stopped laughing and grinned.

Syaoran shrugged, he walked across the room and sat down on one of the beds than gestured at her, "Aren't you going to eat?" He said picking up a muffin on his plate, examining it.

"I already ate – and it's not poisonous." She smiled and pointed at the food in his hands.

"Hm...Just checking." He said with a funny expression on his face before taking a bite. _It wasn't bad…_

"Well…I'll go take these bags and check out while you finish that okay?" Sakura said and pointed at her bag already in front of the door.

Syaoran jerked his head up and narrowed his eyes, "The garage is far away – I'll take the – "

Sakura jumped in before he could properly finish, "I can handle my own things."

"So you're just going to have me walking down empty-handed?" Syaoran frowned. In his clan, shared knowledge and equal work was key. Surely such morals wouldn't fail due to the fact of a stubborn girl.

Sakura frowned at him for a moment than flipped her hand at him lazily, "Fine…I'll wait for you at the car?"

"…and leave me here?" Syaoran got to his feet swiftly.

"As I recall – you were about to leave me back at the French diner– so I have my full right." She teased.

Syaoran swallowed the last bit of muffin and dumped his plate on the table; he was in a good mood, which was very rare. He raced to the door, "Bet I can reach the car before you."

"I'll bet not." Sakura smiled, pushing him away from the handle and pulling it open, "You're so…cheerful today."

"It was the muffin," Syaoran explained, he couldn't help but smile a bit. Just a bit. It was probably because he was tired of arguing and scowling in the car all yesterday. Or he had gone completely insane.

"Ready Li? On the count of three – whoever reaches the car first will get to drive."

"_Drive! _Who ever agreed to – " Syaoran turned on her shocked etched in every shadow of his face. _DRIVE!_

"One…" Sakura said, laughing, one hand on the doorframe.

" – I'm not letting you drive my car!" Syaoran protested angrily.

"Two…"

"Kinomoto…listen to me! I'm warning you," He scowled as Sakura ignored him, "Fine, I'm not losing to you anyways!" Syaoran shouted, placing a hand in front of her playfully, "Whenever you're ready to lose."

"Three!"

The two pulled themselves through the door.

Syaoran would've made it over first if it hadn't been the bag he was carrying, it lodged itself between him and the door and he tripped over Sakura's feet.

They went flying out the door, lost their balance, and ended up on the hard cold floor.

Sakura was laughing her head off.

Syaoran had the wind knocked out of his lungs and gasped as the ceiling came in view. _Oh wow…I can't believe I just did that. _He gasped as her voice broke through his consciousness. A voice that sounded like stained glass in the morning sky.

"That was fun Li!" Sakura laughed, putting a hand on his elbow playfully, "But I still bet I can get there before you."

Syaoran had to laugh. He had to. It was as if it had just bubbled up through his chest and out his lips. Simply because of her own laugh. It was contagious. He couldn't stay immune forever, "Get back here."

Sakura had made a move to get up but Syaoran grabbed her wrist and pulled her down again. She fell with a cry and landed sprawled over Syaoran's waist, "Hey!"

But the cry was shorted when she caught his eyes.

He was looking at her. Straight at her. Sakura felt a cold chill run up her spine like ice.

He took in her face. Her soft cheeks and delicate chin. The way her hair fell across the sides of her eyes.

"You're beautiful." He said softly as he simply stared in to those mesmerizing green eyes. She stopped laughing.

The two stayed silent for what seemed an eternity before a cold voice broke in.

"Syaoran?" Someone said darkly, "…Syaoran – is that you?"


	4. Journey's End

**_Author's Chapterly Comments_**

****_Not much to say except I like all the responses I'm getting. yay! I feel loved. Thank you so much for all those reviews! So I am more than proud to present to you Chapter Four of Crossing Roads._

_ **Silly Answers**_

**what did sakura do 2 the guy in ch.1?**_**  
**_If you read carefully, you get the idea that she threw him.

**do they realize that they've said each other's first names? or was that just a typo?  
**Okay, it's kind of a 'slowly getting more closer' thing. Like slips ups where they call each other by their first names. It is not a typo. You'll get more clarification in chapter 5.

**1. Making them stay in the same room, that's just getting SO old... no offense, as soon as we reached "they're going to stay somewhere tonight" I knew you were going to put them in the same room lyk all other author's do. A bit too obvious here.****  
**Alright, I agree. It is old. But hey, it's not like I made them sleep in the same bed. 

**2. When they were racing I dun think it's that likely for them to ACTUALLY trip. Stumble, maybe, but actually trip over, especially for athletic ppl lyk them... not very likely, again, I knew you were gonna make them fall on top of each other somehow.  
**To be truthful, I hadn't planned on having them fall on top of each other. and they didn't they fell next to each other and Syaoran pulled her down again but I had to make it spontaneous to make Meiling find him in a bad situation. And this was the best way I could do it. But it was logical for them to fall if two people are trying to squeeze through a small door with a heavy bag in the way don't you think?

**3. This is the one that bugs me the most, and done by just about every author out there. You dun go STARE at someone then boom, you feel tingly and can't stop staring all of a sudden, especially a cool and cold guy lyk Syao. He definitely would NOT say she's beautiful if he truly was cold and always tries to portray his image that way. you do NOT just "lose control" by some simple stare. **  
In everyone's stories, Syaoran is portrayed differenly. In my story, this is his one big spontaneous moment where he totally slips up and blurts out something. It's no big deal. I'm not making this the big turning part where he suddenly gets all stupid and soft. That I won't do. And I think it'd be kind of lame if there wasn't anything interesting that happens between them. Then this entire trip is one big waste. They don't get any closer. And I just need that one big climax and everything will be able to go down hill from there. Sorry if you don't like how I write the characters but I guess its just the way I like to write them.**  
**

**although Meiling is sort of just jumping here and there lyk some minor character just here simply for the sake of bring S and S together... and that's kinda sad 'cause she's my fav. character.****  
**Okay. Sorry that I can't incorporate Meiling in to my story. It kind of bothers me because I can't just stick her in the story because its your favorite character. You can write your own stories around her but I just can't do that. Sorry?

**

* * *

**

** Crossing Roads**

"**Journey's End"**

The raven-haired girl stood in the hall. One hand rested on her hip, the other dangled in a slightly curled fist at her side. She scowled at a man who was hurrying down the corridor as he dashed away. Syaoran moved slightly to let him through and shot him an apologetic look for being in the way of Meiling's fury. She snapped her attention back to the man standing in front of her. Syaoran could feel the words and barrages of questions storming around the girl's head and nearly running down his neck like sweat.

Syaoran barely realized he was standing slightly unbalanced on his feet. Sakura had left recently; she would probably be in the garage and had taken her bag as well. His clan policies would have to be dismissed. Surely Meiling's wrath was far more important and threatening at the moment.

"Meiling…" He began firmly, "What – no _how _did you get here?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously and took a small step forward, "Wouldn't you like to know – after driving off like that?"

Syaoran kept his footing strong on the ground and clenched his fists, "You know why I did that – you know."

"So what?" Meiling shouted, dropping her hands and shaking them, "And when I finally get a ride here – I see you – with – a total stranger – how could _you?_"

Syaoran bristled angrily, "That gives you no excuse to make up for what you did."

"And _what exactly did I do_?" Meiling screamed, shutting her eyes, "I didn't do anything wrong! Tell me! What did I do wrong?"

"You betrayed our clan! Is that not something wrong? You betrayed your family – you betrayed _me_!" Syaoran slashed his arm violently in front of his chest, "And when I take the risk of driving you away from the elders and mother – you – "

"Shut up! And what you were doing underneath that girl – that's not betraying the clan – if that's not anything compared to what I did!" Meiling cried dizzily and swung a fist at Syaoran's face, it connected with his hand and Syaoran threw it back to her side. Meiling stumbled back, fury etched in the shadows across her face, "Even after what I did – it was wrong for you to leave me there – on the road – like some common girl – "

"Don't think I never worried! Don't think I never thought of turning back! I regretted doing that damn it – " Syaoran said coldly, tensing his shoulders, " – but I had the right to because you're my cousin – if you had been anyone else – "

"I'm your cousin! I'm your cousin! Has it ever occurred to you that I'm always your fiancé Syaoran? Has it ever sprung your mind that we're _engaged_?" Meiling shouted.

"_I never agreed to this engagement_." Syaoran spat, "The clan may control half my life – but they don't control that part of me."

"You don't have a choice! It's always been like this! You never had a choice!"

"I choose what I do with my own life – I'm not engaged to you Meiling – I never was!" Syaoran shut his eyes experimentally, he was giving himself a head ace, he didn't need any of this, "_I had enough_," And without another word Syaoran turned on his sneakers and started down the hall.

"Syaoran! Get back here!" Meiling called fiercely at him.

Syaoran focused his thoughts elsewhere and rounded the corner without turning to look. His palms had marking where his nails had dug.

He slammed a fist in to the switch and the elevator lit up to show it had heard the command.

_Damn. _He had hit it so hard, his knuckles were throbbing.

* * *

"Hand them over Li – I won fair and square" Sakura said over the hood of the car.

Syaoran shot her a warning look as he breathed the icy damp air of the garage _How long had she been waiting for him?_

No matter, at the moment he coul care less, "I'm not in any mood to argue with you."

"I know." She said firmly, "And you are also in no mood to drive – so give me the keys – I'm not having you run us off a cliff."

Syaoran breathed deeply. She had a point. He _would _probably rev off the road or run in to a tree. Meiling had really shaken him off his good mood.

_Way off. _

He took another deep breath and pulled the bangs out of his eyes, "Okay – but after the next stop – I'm driving."

"Alright," She said, and gave him a rather forced looked.

As he threw her the keys and got in the passenger seat, he found it somewhat strange how she wasn't even the least bit curious about Meiling. Or about what he had said earlier.

He really didn't know why he had said it. It just…spilled out of his lips before he could properly think. What on earth_ was_ he thinking?

He shrugged and watched as she carefully ignited the engine and backed out of the garage.

As the first few rays of sunlight washed over the hood of the car, Syaoran was already loosening up his muscles. His headache was slowly receding and he felt just a bit better. At least he could breathe now without clenching his jaw. Once they were on the hard and bumpy road again Syaoran was already relaxing to the rhythm of the gravel underneath the wheels. His head tossed lightly against the window and was annoyed at how hard it was to get comfortable. How had she done it? But it felt so much better than when he had been behind the wheel. Probably because he had been focusing on the road than how the rocking of the car could lull one in to drowsiness. But as the minutes rolled on he couldn't help but close his eyes and fall asleep.

* * *

"Okay go go!" Syaoran called from behind the bumper as he stretched his aching arms. The air had turned humid once more and the ground was fresh with wet mud.

They had traveled about an hour where Syaoran had enjoyed a nice rest and loll and beyond, Sakura managed to get them stuck in a ditch.

_Screeeeeech! RrrrRrrrRrrrr…_

_Syaoran was jolted rudely awake as the car stopped in a sudden dizzying halt, he caught his beating heart before it calmed and jerked his head to look at the girl besides him, "What happened? Did we hit something?"_

_"I don't know…I can't get out…it won't go…" Sakura said panicky and demonstrated by turning the keys._

_RrrrrRrrrrrRRrrrrrrr…_

_"Damn it – stop that – if we had hit something you'd be grounding him deeper in to the ground!" Syaoran shouted at her. She dropped her hands suddenly as a horrified expression settled between her eyes._

_"I'm just kidding," Syaoran said quickly after she had noticeably slipped in to sheer terror, "I'll go check – I'm sure we just ran over a ditch or something." _

_Syaoran pushed open the door and stepped in to about knee-deep mud and jumped back in surprise. The road was a pigsty! Since when did it get so wet? Oh right…it had rained just last night. _

_Syaoran ducked out of the car and observed right away that the two back wheels were sloping in a heavy hole created by mud and dirt. Great…just great…_

_Now if HE had been driving, this NEVER would have happened. _

Sakura, still inside the car started the engine and the wheels began turning. Syaoran pressed his shoulder against the bumper and heaved. The air around him smelled like mud and Syaoran sadly felt sorry for his wheels that were sending it flying in to the air.

After a while of pushing and shoving Sakura stopped the engine. The car slumped back in to the slope disappointingly. Syaoran collapsed back to see their process.

Just a bit more.

Syaoran rubbed some dried dirt off his cheeks and rolled his shoulders.

"Again – it's almost out." Syaoran called to her. Sakura could be seen turning back to the wheel to start the engine once more.

For what seemed like the millionth time, the engine roared to life. Syaoran took a deep breath and planted a firm grip with his shoulder against the wet bumper.

If there hadn't been so many luggages inside, it would've been so much simpler.

Then again if Syaoran had been driving, this never would've happened.

"Woah!" Syaoran cried as the car lunged free of its prison and Syaoran was thrown backward to the floor as dirt flew in to the air like firecrackers.

Sakura gave a startled cried as the vehicle began tearing down the road with its newfound freedom.

She hastily hit the breaks and it screeched to a disappointed halt, she stuck her head out the window and spotted Syaoran sprawled on the floor, "You okay?"

"I'm fine – I'm fine." Syaoran reassured, getting to his feet sloppily and brushing a bit of wet dirt off the hair hanging in his face. He stared at his hands. They were caked with mud. So much for the shower he took in the morning.

He rounded the car and stopped in front of the driver's seat. Sakura froze and stared, her eyes wide.

"I'm driving," Syaoran said, growing annoyed.

Sakura let out a small noise and clapped a hand hurriedly across her mouth.

Syaoran twitched, "What? What is it?"

She smiled behind her fingers.

"_What?_" Syaoran said impatiently. Sakura dropped her hand and started giggling.

"You're all muddy! Look at you!" Sakura said, cracking up horribly and laughing so loudly that her voice must've rang down at least a hundred yards.

"I'm – " Syaoran looked down at himself and almost jumped back in shock.

Mud cluttered his clean white t-shirt and caked his pants like a new layer of clothing. He wasn't going to show up at Tomoeda like this.

"It's your fault – driving straight across that ditch – " Syaoran accused blankly. Sakura was still laughing. Syaoran's face burned, "It's not _that funny!_"

"Yes! Yes it is!" Her laughter ringing bells in his ears.

_Well she wouldn't be laughing if SHE had been the one pushing._

_

* * *

_

"Oh Li – I'm not going to look – just do it!"

"But it's so cramped back here – and the windows are – "

"Yes I'm aware that the windows are transparent Li – like people would care if they see you naked anyways."

"Kinomoto!"

"Just kidding – hurry up!"

"Alright – let me just get in to a good position back here first – geez – its so cramped!"

Sakura grinned as she sat, arms folded and looking purposely in front of her. He glimpsed a flying pant leg through the rear view mirror and shifted her gaze.

Syaoran grunted in the back as he toppled over in an attempt to put on his new pair of pants.

"Done yet?"

"Does it look like it?" He said bitterly.

"You want me to look?" Sakura laughed.

Syaoran remained silent and Sakura heard him zipping a bag shut. He poked his head through the space between the passenger and driver's seat, "Now I am."

"Good – because I'm ready to drive." Sakura reached out her hands to place them on the wheel, demonstrating her point.

Syaoran frowned, "I'm driving."

"No way." Sakura started the engine and the car lurched forward to life. Syaoran was thrown back, out of sight.

She laughed as he struggled to get upright.

"Kinomoto – stop the car!" He ordered as he pulled his head through the gap once more.

"No!" She laughed, pulling on to the road and stepping on the pedal.

Syaoran was thrown out of view again and he hit his head against the back seat.

_Ouch. _Syaoran rubbed the back of his head. He wasn't going to let his girl boss him around, "Kinomoto! I said – stop the car!" He cried, his back caved and buried with his own luggage.

"Make me." She said smiling, eyeing him through the rear view mirror.

That brought on a feeling Syaoran never experienced before, "Don't say you didn't ask for it."

"Sure," She said boldly, her eyes meeting his in the mirror.

Next thing she knew she felt fingers along her sides and around her waist. She screamed, "LI!" She said through spouts of laughter, "LI! STOP! OKAY! YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE US CRASH! I SWEAR!"

She hastily hit the breaks and the car shuddered to a halt just before veering off the road. Syaoran dropped his fingers from her side and untangled himself from the mess. He got out the door smoothly and appeared in front of the driver's window.

Sakura frowned at him the best she could while squinting at the sun, "That was low."

"Yeah – tell it to me while I'm driving." He said, pulling her out of the car. After the morning incident of slipping his thoughts, Syaoran was ever so aware of what he was saying and how he was saying it in front of this peculiar girl. He quickly ducked his head under the hood to suppress any more strange urges to blurt something out. And when she wasn't looking at him, he smiled.

* * *

She pointed at it. Everything she pointed at wasn't a good thing. Syaoran looked at what had caught her eye. A sign to a nearing town no doubt. He was already running behind schedule, he really didn't want to stop.

Before she even opened her mouth he snapped, "No, no more stopping."

She wasn't finished.

"But it's Salina! Don't tell me you didn't plan on visiting Salina?" She said, her voice sounded strangely anxious. Unlike her normal pleading tone. It caught Syaoran's interest.

_Salina _

_He HAD planned on stopping by there. _

Salina was the largest touring site in the country, the second largest city nowadays compared to his home, Lion. But a couple years ago it was richer and more flowing than his city ten fold. It had the greatest shopping streets and department stores. Syaoran didn't really want to go there for himself. Hell he would love to avoid shopping at all cost. But he had promised his four sisters that he'd purchase something for them.

Not really willing to give in so quickly Syaoran frowned slightly, "Okay, but this is the absolutely last time we are stopping…and it's not for you." He quickly added.

"That's fine," Sakura said relieved, clapping her hands together she stretched them out in front of her body and smiled, "This is going to be so much fun."

Syaoran stepped out of the car and the first thing he saw were the people. There were hundreds of people rushing down the street, it looked like home. A bustling city with no end of work and errands. Children in little dresses and button down clothes clutched to their mother's hands as she dodged between the crowds. Men in business clothes chattered away with their colleagues while boarding a bus. And than there were the people like them. All crowded around store doors and filling whatever was left of the over stuffed sidewalks.

The second thing he noticed was that

Everything was gray.

The blue sky didn't really fit in as it peeked over the towering buildings and wide sloping pavement floors.

Next to the places they had visited before, this place was horrifyingly loud.

Sakura popped next to him and said rather edgily, "Shall we meet back here? Or…do you want to go shopping with me?"

_Shopping…_

_With her?_

_Do I look stupid?_

"I'll meet you back here," Syaoran answered firmly, closing the door behind him and locked his car.

To his amazement, she looked relieved.

"Alright," Sakura smiled and was about to turn to leave when Syaoran stopped her.

"Salina is a big place, don't get lost."

"I won't – I practically live here," Sakura said distractedly and waved, "Don't worry about me – worry about yourself." She turned on her sandals and joined the crowded streets.

_She's been here before?_

Syaoran watched her go before she disappeared completely and melted in to the crowds. He turned his gaze and looked around, sighing deeply. Taking in the sights and smells of a big city. It seemed like forever since he'd been in one.

Now he was alone.

It felt nice.

And quiet…and empty…

_So! What would his sisters want anyways? _Syaoran shouted to himself, changing the subject.

Something just hit him.

_Wait a minute. She can't go shopping, she doesn't even have any money!_

Syaoran shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair. _Who cares?_

He stole one quick glance over his shoulder in the direction she had walked off before turning his back and stalked off furiously in the opposite direction.

* * *

Sakura waited nervously in front of a pair of large iron gates that crept up to the sky like black claws. She was standing on a driveway that could've surpassed her own front lawn at home.

Two brick borders stood at the side and hedges trimmed the outer heavyset wall that circled the area.

Soon a white haired man reached the door, and his eyes widened suggestively when he spotted her.

Which was a strange thing to see.

A young small girl standing at the gateway of a very well renowned mansion of Salina.

"Good morning…" She said softly as he neared the gate. She twisted her hands in front of her and gave him a weak smile.

If he was excited to see her, he certainly wasn't showing it, "Mistress Sakura…I wasn't expecting you…"

* * *

He could see his car just a few blocks away and felt slightly disappointed that nobody was standing besides it.

Specifically speaking.

_She_ wasn't back yet and an hour had already passed.

In his hands held a small blue plastic bag, inside clinked together, four small wrapped gifts he had purchased from a famous jeweler's that was only established in Salina. He was pretty sure his sisters would like the gifts…he was pretty sure any girl would like jewelry. Pretty things. Sparkly things. Cute things.

Than he realized that Sakura hadn't been wearing any jewelry. No necklace, no earrings, no bracelets. Which was strange. Meiling always had a large amount of hoops dangling down her wrists or big flashy earrings.

But Sakura wasn't exactly Meiling.

Syaoran reached his car and swiveled to see if she was anywhere around it, perhaps waiting for him. Nowhere.

He frowned. What if she had gotten lost? It wouldn't be his business right?

But what could she be doing anyways.

She couldn't exactly shop.

The last time he checked, she didn't have a wallet.

_I'll just wait in the car…_ Syaoran thought and unlocked the door. Taking one more peering glance around the streets and satisfied that she wasn't playing games with him, he ducked under the hood and shut the door.

The atmosphere quieted considerably.

Syaoran breathed in the stuffy air.

_she won't get lost. _

_She's not that stupid. _

_Naïve yes…_

_just not stupid. _

He shut his eyes and yawned loudly in to the silence. In the meanwhile, he planned on taking a little nap.

A while later a girl emerged in front of the window and peeked inside curiously. Sakura smiled a little when she saw him dozing in the seat. She was empty-handed and hadn't really changed during the hour except that her purse now held a new wallet and cash. How that occurred was still a mystery.

She bent her knees over the window and rapped her knuckles over the glass. Amused, she watched him bolt upright and jerk around until he saw her. He immediately scowled and unlocked the door.

She hopped inside.

"You're late – "

"Sorry, didn't know you'd be mad at me," She said as she placed her bag on the floor.

"You didn't buy anything?" He asked, now confusion was evident.

Here she was, in a city solely based on shopping and she carried nothing new.

"I…window shopped." She replied breathlessly, finally settling in her seat and looking at him. She appeared a bit wind swept. Her hair was falling across her cheeks as if she's walked miles.

Syaoran nodded doubtfully and leaned in his chair, "You could've asked me for money…"

She laughed loudly, "It's okay Li – I didn't really want to come to Salina to go shopping."

Syaoran looked over at her, "Then where did you go?"

"To visit an…old friend." She answered uncertainly.

She looked like she was telling the truth, so why did she sound so nervous about it. Well, if she didn't press him about Meiling, he would let her have her own privacy.

"Alright," He sighed and turned back towards the wheel just as the engine started. Syaoran watched as she collapsed in to her chair and looked out the window.

She looked tired almost.

Almost.

Two hours later…

Syaoran would _eat_ those words.

They had barely past the city edge of Salina when she regained her talkative nature. And had somehow managed to force Syaoran to park at a nearby touring site.

"Please?" Sakura pleaded, her hands under her chin.

"No!"

"Just one picture, so you'll remember this forever." She laughed, "Stop being so dramatic! You're not going to die if we take a picture!"

"I'm not dying young!" He choked as she dragged him on his heels out of the car.

"Oh," She smiled, pulling him to his feet, "Come here – it's going to be an entire semester before we get to come back – "

Syaoran brushed the dirt off of him furiously and glared at her, "No – pictures are a waste of time – they're pointless, useless – "

"You said that about singing – but – "

Syaoran knew where this was headed.

"That's because it was either that or you'd haunt me the rest of my life!" He said, looking away. A car roared past them, kicking up dust as it went. The day was hot and dry. To think it had just rained last night.

"One – Picture – its not that difficult." Sakura pressed, pulling him by the arm over to the overhang, "It's a tourist site! It's begging for a picture! Look - see? – there are tons of people here."

Syaoran rolled his eyes, _Well obviously, there were tons of cars parked you know. _

Throughout the day he had slowly grew accustomed to being dragged around by the arm. But it was annoying, nonetheless.

"Kinomoto – stop touching me!" He cried.

She dropped his arm carelessly and hurried away; taking long light strides she looked over her shoulder playfully.

"One picture," She turned on a man and tapped his shoulder, upon seeing him spin around she said loudly, "Would you take a picture of us sir? Please?"

"Why of course," The aged man said, wrinkles appeared around his eyes as his lips lifted in to an ancient smile.

Sakura smiled and looked around for Syaoran who had magically vanished. Frowning slightly Sakura twisted her body to see where he had gone.

"LI!" She called; she spotted him right behind her, scowling his deepest frown. Looking positively annoyed at where he was standing at the moment and almost annoyed at himself for standing there.

He growled, "Let's just get this over with."

Sakura wrinkled her nose and said rather gratefully, "Thank you," She pulled him towards her and looked back at the man who had the camera poised in front of him.

"Alright you two – get closer together will you?"

Syaoran frowned and edged just a bit towards the smiling girl.

Not too close.

"Aw…you two…look like you're having fun."

"Hear that Li – c'mon! Smile a bit!" Sakura linked a hand through his arm and Syaoran resisted the urge to jerk back.

_Smile. With her holding my arm like that?_

_Snap!_

Syaoran blinked. Had he taken a picture already?

"Another one!" The man said cheerfully, already positioning the camera at them once more.

Sakura dropped Syaoran's arm and lifted her bare hands in the air, smiling widely. Syaoran looked down at her just as the camera snapped once more.

_Can't the damn man see that I wasn't ready! _Syaoran said, lifting his head up.

_Snap!_

_ARGH! WHAT HAPPENED TO JUST ONE PICTURE!_

"Thank you sir, we're leaving!" Syaoran raptly grabbed the camera out of the man's hands and dragged Sakura from the pictorial site.

Sakura sighed "That guy was pretty nice wasn't he?"

"_One _picture?" Syaoran accused.

"Not my fault," Sakura shrugged as they reached the car. Syaoran gave her back the camera and flung open his side of the car.

Sakura followed him reluctantly and carefully tucked her camera inside her bag.

"Li?" She said, turning towards him, her hands dropping to her lap, "How much longer until we reach Tomoeda?"

Syaoran checked his watch, "An hour or so."

_An hour or so. _

_This trip was finally coming to an end. _

Sakura sunk in to her seat and said softly, "Oh…Okay…"


	5. Done Deal

**Crossing Roads**

"**Good Bye?"**

It didn't seem like a whole day had passed.

Not at all.

But it did, and as Syaoran pulled over at the curb and as he witnessed the brass letters on the building.

_Tomoeda University_

He had to realize.

The daylong car trip he had planned to take with Meiling was over.

And the girl sitting besides him was nobody like Meiling.

"Sakura?" He said before realizing it, "We're here."

She nodded as she turned back on him from the window, "Sakura? Does that mean I can call you Syaoran?"

Syaoran bit his tongue. _What the hell. _

"No." He answered quickly and reached for his side of the door.

She didn't say anything. Which was strange. It was usually Syaoran who would end a conversation with a silent answer.

As he pushed himself out the tired vehicle the blast of hot air spun him around until he was dizzy. The sky was still a rich sensational blue. The roads were less crowded here but still as well very familiar to his home city and Salina. It seemed he hadn't traveled more than two feet rather than hundreds of miles.

The road curved down with the enormous city and Tomoeda University was just one of the many buildings that cluttered the small sloped street.

He stretched his long arms and yawned. It had been a long and interesting trip. He was ready to get this year started. And he badly wanted to sleep in a real bed.

He was tired of driving, but it felt as if a part of something important had just ended, and it didn't feel good.

Hearing the other door slam shut he watched Sakura copy suit in the stretching followed with putting on her sandals. He watched as she flopped up and down the street and dropped his own arms. She wasn't smiling.

"Kinomoto?" He asked, wondering why the usually cheerful girl was looking rather depressed.

"Uh hm?" She said absentmindedly. Syaoran stared at a parking meter besides her. Every time she would stare at him, he found it hard to open his mouth.

"You don't look excited – it's your last year here isn't it?" Syaoran shrugged, pulling at his jacket as he spoke.

"Oh – I'm just…nervous." She said, biting her lip. _She was, it felt the same way every time she would transfer. _

Syaoran nodded, not exactly believing her explanation but shrugged and decided to manage his own business. Which was.

_One, apply for his dorm. _

_Two, park his car _

_Three, Eat. God he was hungry._

Simple enough. Syaoran moved towards the trunk as Sakura did the same. Syaoran tossed it open and looked down at the rumpled stack of pink and black bags. It seemed only minutes ago did he swing them in to the trunk for her.

"Need help with these bags?"

"I managed before you came along you know." She said, smiling a little.

"Yeah," Syaoran stopped talking after that.

The two moved silently, taking turns with the bags and dumping it on the streets like a machine taking commands.

After everything was piled up the steps of the University did Syaoran lock up his car and open his mouth again, "What are you going to do about the towing?"

"I called my brother – at Salina – he said he'll handle it," Sakura said quickly, she was pulling a heavy bag across her chest and over a shoulder. The other two she held with her arms. Syaoran couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight. She looked ridiculously off balance carrying three enormous bags.

He, himself, wasn't carrying anything. He still had to park his car.

"What do you have in there? Clothes?" He remembered going on vacations with his family. The entire truck was piled with his sister's entire closet. And he was forced to carry it all.

"No – I have books and other…things…" She answered nervously.

Syaoran's eyebrows disappeared underneath his hair. God it was hot. If he was still wearing his white t-shirt it wouldn't be that bad. But he had to just change in to his black shirt and a pair of cargos.

She was wearing a simple blue tank top and capris. Her feet were still accommodated with a now dirty, sandy, dusty, and muddy pair of flip-flops. Her outfit looked rather breezy.

"Yeah okay – let's – go." He said uneasily and headed for the building's double doors, trying to keep his eyes ahead. Syaoran shot a very lonely and neglected plant a sorry look as they passed the stairs. Its leaves had wilted and crumpled to the twisting waves of heat, he felt sorry for it.

Syaoran heard Sakura shuffle after him. It was the way she walked that was so loud. The bags must be a big hassle.

Syaoran reached the door first and pulled inside, a blast of conditioned air chilled his neck and arms. It was refreshing.

He held the door open as Sakura struggled after him.

The entrance hall for Tomoeda was a familiar site to Syaoran. The usual large desk that curved to the end of the room and the large chandelier that dropped from the ceiling. The floor was different, they had replaced the old rug, now it spanned a wide red carpet already a little gray from people's sneakers and boots. To one side there were double doors that led to the school campus, the other, the doors that led to the dorms. To get to the garage, he needed to go back out on the streets.

The only thing different that caught his eyes was the large blue sign hanging above the desk it read with big comical letters, "WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR!"

Syaoran found it irritating that it sounded vaguely like a preschool greeting and sauntered over to the table. There was only one working employee there. And she wasn't a secretary or a teacher he knew.

She glanced up at him through small spectacles and wore a look of annoyance on her face, "Name?"

Syaoran cleared his throat and said gruffly, "Li Syaoran."

"Grade?" She plowed.

"Senior."

She flipped through a stack of folders and fished one out than slid it across the counter for him to see, "Room 601 – your classes are listed and they start this Monday."

Syaoran checked with himself. Today was Friday. He had a weekend to get adjusted. That was fine. He wasn't in that of a rush get back to work and finals.

"Thanks." He said and took the vanilla folder and watched as Sakura nearly collapsed at the counter.

"Name?"

"Kinomoto Sakura." She said, smiling.

The lady ignored her, "Grade?"

"Senior."

She took a particularly long time looking for her folder and Syaoran was asking himself why he was even bothering to wait for her. He sent her to their destination. It was over.

_This was it._

"Hey Kinomoto – "

She turned on him and grinned, "What, no Sakura?"

Syaoran rolled his eyes, "Anyways – I'm gonna go and park my car okay? I'll see you…"

She blinked, "Sure…I'll see you…"

Syaoran nodded and awkwardly turned his back to her and started for the door. This could may as well be the last time he'll ever see her again. Tomoeda was an enormous school, it took up about ten blocks of the city. It would be a miracle if he ever even caught a glimpse of her. Even in his senior year did he not even know half his classmates.

Surely, he'll never meet her again.

This was it.

Sakura seemed to be still watching his retreating back and reading his mind. Because when he was just two inches to the door she called at him, "Bye Syaoran! Thank you so much! I'll miss you okay!"

Syaoran stopped and decided she deserved a good bye from him. He turned his head to peer at her from across his shoulder and gave her a very rare smile before shutting the door behind him.

Sakura sighed as she watched him enter his car and drive off out of sight.

She was probably never going to see him again. Sakura shrugged and turned back towards the counter. No big deal…right?

"Ah – here we are – miss Kinomoto Sakura – you transferred from Avalon just this year – no wonder I couldn't find your transcript." She handed her a similar folder and looked at Sakura for probably the first time, "Dorm 304, third floor – number four, and the elevators are to your right." She explained.

Sakura smiled and expressed her thanks before hobbling in that direction.

"Are you rooming in 304?" Someone said.

Taken by surprise Sakura managed to drop one of her bags on the floor with a large _thump. _She glanced upwards to see a blue – eyed girl with a friendly expression on her face. She reached for the bag that Sakura had dropped.

"Here let me help you," She offered. Sakura gladly let her retrieve the bag on the floor. Her arms were killing her. And she had been too guilty to ask Syaoran for help with any more of her problems.

"What's your name?" The girl asked as they started back towards the elevators. Her voice invited confidence on Sakura's part and she answered willingly.

"Kinomoto Sakura,"

"That's a really pretty name! Mine's Daidouji Tomoyo – pleased to meet you." She said. Her dazzling blue eyes sparkled as she smiled. They exchanged warm greetings.

"Tomoyo is a pretty name too."

"Well – we better get to know each other."

Sakura gave her a confused look. After all, who would randomly walk up to people and demand that they get to know each other.

Tomoyo laughed as she pulled the bag closer to her shoulder, "I'm in 304 too – so we're rooming!"

"Oh!" Sakura said, startled, "Than pleased to meet you Daidouji – "

"Call me Tomoyo –I really dislike formal greetings – we're not sixty years old you know!" She said, her eyes sparkling with her. Sakura smiled.

"Tomoyo than – and you can call me Sakura."

"Sakura – chan!" She tried out loud, "I love it."

Sakura laughed as the two stepped in to an awaiting elevator. It was when she had turned to her side as they went in did Sakura was sudden hit with a realization about this new friend she had made.

"You're - !"

Tomoyo looked at her with a gentle smile, "pregnant."

"Well – I – congratulations!" Sakura said incredulously just as the doors slid shut. Now in the light, Sakura was certain of the slight bulge underneath her clothes and was amazed she hadn't noticed it when they first met.

"And you know who the dad is?" She said as she turned her body to face her.

"Well – I – no – I'm new at Tomoeda." Sakura said.

"Right!" Tomoyo's eyes lit up, "Sorry – he has a kind of reputation at this school – I forgot you weren't from around here."

The elevator reached level three with a quiet soft ding and the two stepped out to a large hallway. Brown doors lined the halls until they turned out of sight. Sakura followed after her new roommate as they walked briskly past them. The air was a bit dingy from the lack of air conditioning and Sakura felt her throat run dry.

"I'll introduce you to him," Tomoyo said, grinning, "He's in the room across from ours – I requested it – you'll like him – c'mon!"

Sakura dazedly hurried after the blue-eyed girl.

"Do we have any other room mates?" Sakura asked as they rounded the corner.

"Not that I know of – not yet – the limit to a room is three but Tomoeda is such a highly selective school that its only usually two – there – see – 304 – our room and right across from it," Tomoyo trailed her finger to the door labeled 302 and pointed.

Sakura tried to protest but Tomoyo was already knocking on the thin piece of wood, the bag she carried was on the floor besides her feet, "Eriol open up – I know you're in there!"

Meanwhile, a boy came strolling down the hall way and Sakura had to plant herself against the opposite wall for him to get through. He ignored Sakura and said to Tomoyo, "Looking for Hiiragizawa?"

"Yeah – have you seen him? He said something about the downtown library this morning – but he should be back by now," Sakura saw the worry on her face. So they cared for each other. She wondered if they were married yet.

"I passed him in the garage a while ago – maybe he's asleep – well – I heard Li got here just now – I'm going down to meet him – see you Tomoyo," The boy waved cheerfully and bounded down the corner. Sakura stared after him. He did say _Li _did he?

Tomoyo groaned and was about to turn away when the door flew open revealing a very disarrayed man in a t-shirt and pajamas, he was rubbing his eyes with one hand and holding his glasses in the other, he was caught in a mid yawn when he noticed them standing there, "Hey – need me?" He said humorously, "Or you just missed me?"

Tomoyo rolled her eyes and took his hand, "I want you to meet your neighbor and my roommate – this is Sakura Kinomoto."

Eriol jerked his head up and they exchanged silent introductions as they looked at one another, he extended his other free hand after repositioning his glasses on his face. Sakura noticed that he was rather handsome when he wasn't half sleeping and shook his hand like good colleagues. He had a firm yet gentle grip.

"Pleased to meet you – you can call me Eriol – I'm sure Tomoyo's told you all about me," He said, smiling widely.

"Don't act spoiled – she just got here," Tomoyo said briskly pulling her hand away and moving to stand by Sakura's side, "Go back to sleep – I wouldn't want you to pass out when school starts next week – shoo." Tomoyo ushered him back in his room ignoring his loud protests. But Sakura caught the smile he had directed at her and she grinned. She had a feeling they were going to become more than just acquaintances.

Tomoyo turned on her heels and inserted her own keys.

"Now – may I introduce to you," She said, pulling at the knob, "Our paradise away from homework, parties, and stress."

Than as if creating a dramatic moment, Tomoyo smiled brightly and tossed open the door with a flourish.

* * *

Syaoran groaned as he reached the elevator.

Sakura had left her purse in his car. How the heck was he supposed to find her now? The dorms had twelve stories to it. And at least fifty rooms on each level. Oh god.

He held her purse far from his body; afraid it might jump up and attack him. It was pink for god sake. What would people think if they saw him carrying around a pink bag?

"C'mon c'mon." Syaoran said out loud as the elevator descended.

He shifted his weight around nervously pulling at his black duffel hanging off one shoulder.

The elevator doors slid open and Syaoran breathed again. It was empy. He walked in quickly, and jammed in the number three.

He would dump off his stuff in his room first, than somehow, get a hold of Sakura.

Syaoran sighed deeply as he leaned in the back of the elevator. This was fantastic. He had already decided to never see this girl again. Here he was, desperately wishing he knew where she was.

His life could be so simple.

_Ding. _

Syaoran pulled himself out on to the sixth story and started down the hall. For the last couple years he'd always been on the first two floors, it felt strange to have to wait so long.

His long empty strides ringed across the hallway.

Alright, 601.

Grumbling loudly as her bag got in the way with his keys, Syaoran quickly turned the knob to his new room and threw it open. It was empty. Perhaps his roommate hadn't arrived yet and prayed he hadn't been assigned with a _small immature freshman hadn't hit puberty yet little boy._

He threw his bag on to a nearby empty chair and turned for the bathroom, only to discover in shock that someone was standing in front of it.

"Jesus Christ!" Syaoran quickly turned around to hide his red face and looked out the window.

_What the hell was the school board thinking; this is a damn girl's dorm!_

"Sorry! Sorry!" He apologized angrily as he scooped up his bag quickly and turned his head. He ducked his gaze and hurried out of the room, cursing loudly.

The girl stood, wide-eyed and open-mouthed as the door slammed shut and Syaoran's furious footsteps faded away.

"Who was that?" A girl asked as she peeked her head through the door, "I heard a guy's voice."

The girl in the towel dismantled her original shock and smiled happily, "That was Li Syaoran, I can't believe he was actually in here!" She shrieked and sank in to her covers a dreamy look on her face.

* * *

"Over there," Tomoyo waved her hands, "Is where I sleep."

Sakura looked across a twin bed wrapped in purple fabric. Spread across it were many cushions of all shape and sizes.

"And that's where you'll sleep – it's kind of empty – but if you want – I can make bed sheets for you." Tomoyo gave her an apologetic look as she turned her body around and so did Sakura's gaze, "We have an extra mattress for our third possible roomie but unfortunately I don't think we are going to have another member – so I folded it up and see – its in that corner."

Sakura noted both beds and mattresses with a nod.

"Okay let's see – I have a stereo – its right over there on top of the table – oh and that's my table the messy one – yours is the one next to it – you probably can't tell because they're connected." Tomoyo turned to face Sakura and gestured at the other side of the room, "And here – we'll probably most likely eat take out the whole year – because I only brought a small fridge and a microwave – but Eriol works at a local restaurant and he usually sneaks lunch in so we won't starve."

She smiled and so did Sakura. This place was already feeling like home.

Tomoyo put a finger to her lips, "Now what am I forgetting – I already showed you the bathroom – so – oh of course!" She led Sakura to a side of the room she had failed to mention, "The closets – how can I forget – now I have to deeply apologize for this – we have to share one closet – and I'm taking already more than half the space – as you can see…" Tomoyo threw open the sliding doors and Sakura was shocked to see all the different clothes, dresses, and sweaters jammed together like dried fruit in an airtight bag.

Sakura noticed that some of them had long trailing unfinished needles to them, "Did you make these?" She said curiously as one particular shirt only went past the sleeves.

"Some of them…my mother likes to send me new fashions every season even though I tell her not to – I have to throw them out as they come in because we really don't have much room," Tomoyo frowned slightly and sealed her side of the closet off before sliding open the opposite end, "I hope this is enough – if you want I can empty out – "

"No! It's fine – I hardly have any clothes – I only have two pairs of pants – its fine – really!" Sakura cried, shaking off Tomoyo's apologies.

Tomoyo dropped her frown and looked cheerful again, she clasped her hands together and raised her arms to give Sakura a friendly hug, "That's great! Can't wait to start a year with you – it'll be a time you won't forget – I promise."


	6. Acquaintances

**Author's Chapterly Comments**

Thank you for all the reviews, its wonderful to know that I'm getting feedback I love you all. **  
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**Crossing Roads**

"**Acquaintances"**

Syaoran frowned miserably as he tucked the new keys in his pocket. He had given a satisfying hollering at the school secretary in the office downstairs. What kind of dimwits ran this place anyways? Couldn't even keep track of returning student genders.

_"Oh hello Mr. Li…didn't know I'd be seeing you in the office so soon?"_

He mocked inside his head…sometimes he wished he could be home schooled by his clan teachers…they were ten times more brilliant than these brainless chickens.

He walked in to the elevator stormily for the second time and slammed his palm flat across the button to shut the doors just as a voice rang out.

"Wait Li! Wait!"

Syaoran had the mind to ignore him and continue up but then he'd be venting his anger on somebody else, so he reluctantly held the door open for the heavily breathing man that entered.

"Li! How you been! 'Been looking all over for you – just came back from the garage," The man said breathlessly as the doors slid shut obediently behind him. Syaoran leaned back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

"What do you want?" He interrupted, fixing his cold gaze to the shifting numbers.

The boy looked up and his eyes were nearly closed as he smiled, "Glad to see you again too – its not like you to be late – we were expecting you to be the earliest here in the morning – what kept you?"

"Traffic," Syaoran replied irritably. No hesitation, no pause, so what if he was lying through his teeth?

The man gestured with his hand, "What are you doing with a purse?"

Syaoran wished the wall pressed against his back would suddenly disappear so he could fall far far away.

"It's Meiling's," Syaoran self consciously moved it to his side and the boy's eyebrows arched in response.

"Come to think of it – where is Meiling? Isn't she always with you?" The boy glanced between the four walls and looked puzzled.

"She'll be late."

"Eh? Why? I thought you two drove here together."

Syaoran let out an annoyed breath and was relieved when the doors slid open. Syaoran swept out so quickly that the boy was sent scrambling after him.

"Eriol's on this level – did you know? I'm just five doors down – I think the rest is crammed with freshman." The boy said as he tried to keep up with Syaoran's long strides.

He was ignored, "Which room is it this time?"

Syaoran clenched his jaw and swerved the corner, the boy followed restlessly, "Eriol and I were planning on having dinner tonight – care to join us?"

"Yeah – sure," Syaoran scowled, anything to get rid of him. He screeched to a halt in front of a door and fumbled for his keys that rested at the bottom of his pocket.

The boy spoke again, "Man you're lucky – that's Hiiragizawa's room."

Syaoran jerked his head up, "What?"

And as if answering the question for him the door was pulled open and there under the frame hovered a very familiar dark haired man pulling on a jacket. He glanced up at the two startled looks and his eyes immediately lit up, "Syaoran! You're finally here! What's going on?"

He clapped a hand on Syaoran's shoulder who winced at the contact, "Hiiragizawa – this your room?"

"Um yeah – it is," Eriol replied, looking past Syaoran's shoulder to see another boy there, "Hey Takashi…"

Syaoran cut him off with a deep loud breath and shut his eyes, "Well I guess we're going to be seeing a lot of each other Hiiragizawa," He gritted.

Eriol dropped his arm and looked Syaoran up and down, his face cracked an infamous grin, "We're roommates aren't we? That's great! What are you still doing outside – I was just about to leave but I guess I could stay a while and get you comfortable "

"No that's fine" He said a bit too brutally, "You can go – I can take care of it."

Eriol looked slightly disappointed but shrugged and slid his left arm inside a flailing sleeve, "Alright – if you say so – I won't be back for a while so you might want to eat lunch without me – if you need anything just ask Tomoyo – she's right across from us."

Takashi swerved away as Eriol moved past Syaoran's shoulder and in to the hallway, "Well – we're leaving to town – and oh yeah," Eriol turned back towards the frowning man, "It's nice to see you again – really." After that strange remark Eriol started walking.

Fuming, Syaoran stormed in to the room and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Sakura was startled before the telephone even rang. Sweeping away her anxiety, she picked it off its receiver and answered hastily, "Hello?"

"We have a call for your room from out of town – name's Yue and he's requested for Sakura Kinomoto – would you like for us to pull him through?"

A warm relief washed over her, "Yes thank you."

The phone went silent for a minute and it crackled to life once more, "Mistress Sakura?" came a smooth voice, flawless of any emotion.

Sakura recognized it all too well, "Yes! This is Sakura – how did it go? Where is it?"

"Your car's been repaired and moved to your requested garage – without informing any of your family members of course."

Sakura breathed once more and relaxed her grip on the phone.

"Oh Thank you so much Yue! You don't know how grateful I am for all you've done," Sakura said, she felt as if an entire weight had been lifted right off her shoulders. If it weren't for gravity, she might as well be lifted straight off the floor.

"It is my duty to do so – you don't need to thank me,"

"But I want to, I will pay for the expenses as soon as I can." Sakura argued as she stood up from the bed and started around the room, Tomoyo had left to get some lunch so Sakura was alone in the empty dorm.

The man sighed loudly, "How many times do I have to tell you Mistress, it is my duty and the fortune belongs to you not me."

"But I'm going to pay you back," Sakura said stubbornly, whipping around so she faced the window and whispered, "How is father and brother doing? If you know…"

"I haven't heard from them in a while but I do have an imposing question for you Mistress."

Sakura turned on her toes, "Anything Yue…you know how much I owe you."

"I would like to know how you got to Tomoeda without your car."

Sakura tripped over a nonexistent bulge in the carpeted floor and grabbed the windowsill before she could hit her head.

The voice rang dully in to the cold plastic covering her ear, "Mistress."

"I'm fine – it's okay I just tripped." Sakura said nervously as she soothed the burning sore in her ankle. _What am I supposed to say? I can't tell him I've been traveling around with a stranger! No! What if he tells father? Or worse? Brother?_

The man on the line coughed, voicing his mild amusement that such an idea of his Mistress tripping was absurd.

"Sakura-chan!" A voice ringed out down the corridor, "Sakura-chan! I got pizza!"

"Oh I'm sorry Yue – apparently my roommate is back now – I'll talk to you later okay?" Sakura said in a rush and hung up before the man could protest. Flushed and nervous she swiveled to see Tomoyo taking off her shoes, a box balanced in one hand.

"Who was that?" Tomoyo said as her shoes went flying off in to a corner and she hopped over to the desk.

"Um – my dad – wanted to see how I was doing." Sakura lied, her palms slick with sweat as they rested against the table.

"Oh! Well, it's not exactly healthy but it's the closest thing there is to lunch around here – I hope you like vegetarian." Tomoyo dropped the box on to the flat counter and opened the lid as if she did this daily.

Sakura could complain less, she was hungry and pizza was fine.

"I'm going to see if Eriol wants some – I'll be right back!" Tomoyo hollered as her voice disappeared behind the door. Sakura bit in to the warm cheese and tomato and sighed with content. _I'll call Yue later and explain it to him – he deserves to know._

Outside in the hallway, Tomoyo rapped her knuckles on the door impatiently. Surely Eriol wouldn't have gone out on such short notice.

Behind the door she could hear rustling and grumbling. Than it flew straight off its hinges with an incredible crash.

"What do you want?" Came a cold voice that didn't belong to Eriol. Tomoyo took a surprised step back.

She blinked, "Um – is Eriol there?"

The boy relaxed considerably when he caught site of who it was, "No – he just left."

She blinked again as realization dawned across her features, "Syaoran!" She squealed, clapping her hands, "You're here!"

Syaoran nervously backed up, one hand still resting on the door.

"How are you? I wanted to come by to see if Eriol wanted some lunch – but since he's not – why don't you have pizza with us?"

"I don't think that's a great – "

"Oh don't act all tough – you had such a long trip – I'm sure you're too tired to make your own lunch and I just went down to buy pizza so its hot and fresh – you can tell me all about you're adventures and what happened with – " Tomoyo paused, "That's right – I haven't seen Meiling – isn't she with you?"

Syaoran bristled at the name and snapped, "She's going to be late. Why does everyone expect me to know?"

"Well – you are engaged,"

"That's changed!" Syaoran said furiously then almost slapped himself for yelling. It never felt too good to be screaming at someone he'd known for half his life. Tomoyo had been an old friend; he took a deep breath, "How's the baby?"

Tomoyo looked taken back at the sudden change of conversation and hesitated to answer.

"Well…I just got a check up last Saturday – the doctor says its doing fine so far – says I'm eating all the right stuff," Tomoyo flushed, "Well – the pizza's only once in a while thing – "

"That's good to hear," Syaoran interrupted, looking down the hallway to see if anyone was hovering at their doors, "Look I'm sorry for yelling but something…something happened between Meiling – "

"What happened?" Tomoyo's eyes lowered in concern.

"Never mind – just…never mind…" Syaoran twisted his face in to a nasty scowl, "– Hiiragizawa hasn't been a bastard has he?"

"No, of course not! How can you say that about – "

"Forget it…" Syaoran interupted, his hard gaze refusing to meet Tomoyo's no matter how much she glared at him.

Tomoyo sighed. Eriol and Li weren't what you would call best friends. Grown up together, they were rather close, but Syaoran had always held a mysterious grudge once they hit that certain point in life.

Tomoyo waved her hands irritably, "Oh - just look at me – hovering over your door – the pizza's probably already cold and my roommate's waiting for me inside – "

"Then I'm not keeping you – I'll figure out something for lunch - I'll see you on Monday," And without another word Syaoran shut the door just as Tomoyo was collecting herself.

"Hmph – still as stubborn as always," Tomoyo said, her lips curled in to an amused smirk.

* * *

It was dark when Syaoran opened his eyes. Which was strange. Unless his internal clock had been completely scrambled, it wasn't possible that he would wake up so early in the morning. He groaned and lifted his hands to clear his thoughts. _Must've fallen asleep…_Syaoran scanned the dimly lit room and his eyes fell upon the back of his roommate, suddenly he wished he was still asleep.

Eriol stirred at the sound and looked over his shoulder, his face breaking in to a small grin, "Morning sunshine."

Syaoran darted his eyes in his direction for a fleeting second, "What time is it?" He said angrily and got slowly to his feet. He cringed when his warm toes brushed against the freezing texture of the carpet that sprawled across the floor.

"Time for dinner – we're eating downtown at Ryui's," Eriol finished putting his wallet away and made over to Syaoran, "Since you're awake now – care to join?"

Syaoran thought for a moment. He hadn't had any lunch, thanks to his brilliant decision to refuse Tomoyo's offer, there didn't seem to be any other better choice, "Alright – I'll go."

"Great! Tomoyo and her roommate's over at Chiharu's having a girls' night get together so its just us guys I'm sure you're fine with that," Eriol laughed and started for the door.

Without anything else to retort or ask about, Syaoran begrudgingly dragged himself out of bed.

* * *

"So…has Tomoyo made you try on anything yet?" A girl asked curiously, her lips lifting in to a mischievous grin as she spoke, "Anything from her new designs? The ones that get men to crawl on their hands and knees – "

"Chiharu!" Tomoyo cut in as she placed a bowl of salsa on to the small table, "That's not true." But there was an unmistakable smile playing at the corner of her lips.

Sakura shook her head, "Nope – not yet." She laughed.

Chiharu picked up a chip and eyed it, "Trust me – Tomoyo's never let any of her roommates get away without being her doll – not that it's a bad thing – I would know – I was her roomie in freshman year." She popped the tortilla chip in to her mouth and chewed, "Guys thought I was a junior – I had seniors crawling after me like I was some kind of goddess."

Tomoyo collapsed on to the sofa besides Sakura and rolled her eyes, "Oh stop it – you always looked older than the rest of us anyways."

Chiharu reached for the plate again just as another girl emerged through the door, "Hi guys! I brought cookies."

"Hey!" Tomoyo called as the girl joined them at the table, "When did you get here?"

"This morning – but I stayed at the apartment for the afternoon – got bored so I baked these." She lifted the tray in her hands and set it down on the table. She gathered herself and cocked her head at Sakura, "Whose this?"

Tomoyo slung an arm affectionately over Sakura's shoulder and smiled, "Her name's Sakura Kinomoto – she's my roommate – cute isn't she?" Tomoyo made to pinch her cheeks but Sakura pulled away, laughing.

"You can call me Rika – I bet Tomoyo's been – "

"Already told her about Tomoyo's fashion obsession," Chiharu cut in, chewing on a mouthful of chips and dodged a pillow thrown in her direction.

"Pleased to meet you," Sakura replied cheerfully and asked Chiharu, "Um – can you tell me where the restroom is?"

Chiharu pointed around the corner, "Take that hallway and it's the first door to the right – don't' mind the mess – I think I left some lingerie in there." Chiharu giggled just as Sakura mumbled a small "thanks" and left the sofa.

Rika sat to the side besides Chiharu and leaned forward to look carefully over at Tomoyo.

"So…how's the little one?"

Tomoyo dropped her arm and placed it over her stomach, "Healthy – I couldn't be happier."

Rika smiled, "That's great – Eriol should be pretty relieved – haven't seen him at all during the summer – how is he?"

Tomoyo looked up at the ceiling and settled for an annoyed look, "The same as ever – just not chasing after other women."

"Hey! Speaking of which – I heard Li got here this morning too!" Chiharu yelped, pulling the entire bowl on to her lap, "God – I haven't seen him since forever!"

"He's engaged – geez woman – lay off." Rika said scornfully.

Tomoyo looked up at the table distantly and said, "He didn't come by this morning with Meiling though – didn't tell me what happened."

The two girls gasped. Chiharu stopped eating, "Why! What happened?"

Tomoyo looked over at them, "I just told you – I don't know what happened," Than when the two didn't shut their gaping mouths she groaned and swiveled her body around to face them, "Look you two – don't go about and ask him about it okay? I think he's already been through too much of that."

Chiharu and Rika nodded enthusiastically, dropping the topic like a boulder, "So – Chiharu – how was your trip here?"

Chiharu leaned comfortably back in to the sofa and sighed, "I missed the train that was supposed to leave on Wednesday morning – so I ended up getting here late Wednesday night – on top of that – the man sitting next to me couldn't stop snoring – I slept all Thursday to make up for that."

Rika laughed warmly and picked up one of her own cookies.

Tomoyo followed suit and said, "Well Rika – we don't have those kind of problems."

"Yeah – we live here." Rika grinned and took a careful bite out of the cookie, "Though I understand that Tomoyo would still want to room just to be with Eriol."

Chiharu rolled her eyes at them both and immediately brightened when Sakura came towards them, "I bet Sakura will have a more exciting adventure than your boring lives – so Sakura – how was your trip here?"

Sakura gave them all a quizzical look before settling besides Tomoyo, "My car broke down in the middle of the road – so I wouldn't call it very exciting."

"No! Did you take the Two Ninety? How did you get your car towed – that country phone line's been dead for years." Rika exclaimed.

Sakura smiled, "Well – this guy did stop and offer me a spare tire – but he was some kind of drunk thief and tried to rob me."

The three girls all shared identical looks of horror. Sakura jumped back in alarm, "Oh no! He didn't do anything – I know how to defend myself."

Tomoyo let out a relieved sigh, "So? Than what happened? How did you get here?"

"Well…this other guy stopped and offered me a ride."

"A stranger? And you let him?" Chiharu said, frowning, "That's very brave."

Sakura sighed, "I know – but I didn't have much of a choice did I?"

"Was he hot?" Rika jumped in suddenly.

"Rika!" Tomoyo cried, "Let the girl finish her story."

Rika shrugged and popped the remainder bit of her cookie in her mouth.

"But really Sakura – was he sweet? Handsome? Cute? Romantic?" Chiharu chanted dreamily, her eyes off in space. Tomoyo let out an annoyed groan.

"I'm sure he was nice enough to offer such a long ride for a complete stranger."

Sakura smiled, "Yeah, he was pretty nice. I feel as if I owe him much more than what I gave him in return for it." She drifted off and looked away. That's right. _I didn't do anything besides buying breakfast to thank him…and its too late to do anything now…_

_

* * *

_

Eriol mused, grinning at Syaoran from across the table, "It's a start – was it because she was pretty?"

"No!" Syaoran started despite his passive look, "It was – stupid – I wasn't thinking – "

Takashi interrupted through a mouthful of chicken, "What _did _happen to you and Meiling? I thought you two were happily engaged."

"They were engaged?" Another boy commented, "Damn, that sucks..."

Syaoran shot the boy a threatening look, "Nothing happened."

"But you would have to kick her out of the car – knowing Meiling – she couldn't live to be in the same car as another girl with you."

Syaoran hated Eriol for his brains; he was always quick to figure something out.

Every boy gathered at the table collected a heavy breath when Syaoran refused to answer, then slowly one by one, their eyes settled in disbelief.

"No…you didn't."

"Wow…kicked her out of the car…"

"_Meiling_? She didn't go kicking and screaming?"

"Wow…"

"That's incredible – isn't that illegal or something?"

"Wow…amazing…"

"So…how is she going to get here?"

"That's brave, real brave."

A vein noticeably twitched in Syaoran's temple. The guys gawked and oohed as if he had just jumped in to a pool filled with man eating moose and got out of it alive. As ridiculous at that may seem, Syaoran wanted to be in a pool filled with man-eating anything rather then sitting at a table with his so called friends.

So he compromised.

The table silenced so quickly that it was as if all sound had been sucked right out of everyone's mouths. Those killer eyes flashed across every single one of them, marking them with imposing death if they opened their mouths another time.

"So…Arin? How was your summer?" Takashi said nervously, and everyone changed the subject like a hurricane.

Syaoran shut his eyes and leaned back in his chair, aware of Eriol's contemplating eyes on his passive complexion.

* * *

"Welcome to Tomoeda!" Tomoyo announced happily and threw herself across her bed. Sakura sat down on hers and watched as the many pillows were tossed aside in to random corners of the room.

Tomoyo crawled on to her slightly bulging belly and propped her chin on top her hands, looking at Sakura with wide eyes, "Now you won't go to school unprepared – Chiharu and Rika will help you with all your troubles."

Sakura stretched her arms and yawned, "As long as we don't stay up till one talking every night."

Tomoyo giggled, "Once you're in Tomoeda you will learn to pick up incredible sleep-deprived study habits."

"Beautiful," Sakura said aloud and collapsed on to her bed.

_Beautiful. _

Her eyes fluttered open, she had just seen amber.

_Oh right…that morning…_

_was it just this morning? _

_He told me I was beautiful…_

"You're right – life is just beautiful." Tomoyo said from the opposite side. Her voice muffled in what seemed like her pillow. Sakura took a second to realize her roommate was talking to her but then again the statement didn't really need a response.

She could just drift right off to sleep right here. In her clothes, and nobody would care. Not Yue, not her Brother, not her Father, and certainly not some amber-eyed boy.

* * *

Syaoran opened his eyes slowly; he had sworn he'd heard someone say something. Where was Eriol? He shook his head; didn't he just leave the room?

The frustrated boy turned on his side and buried his face in to his covers, _why can't I sleep? _

Annoyed and tired, Syaoran shoved the blankets down his chest and leaned against the bedpost. A bright pink illuminated the table across him. His eyes dipped and he stared back at it, challenging it to come alive and strangle him to immediate death. _First thing tomorrow morning. First thing. _He would find that Kinomoto girl.

The pink bag chuckled back at him; _impossible…that's an impossible idea._

Syaoran's eyebrows dipped further, _you don't know what you're talking about …I'm not keeping you with me the rest of the year._

It chuckled again, an irritating chuckle, it sounded like Eriol. _Foolish…_

_Who's foolish anyways? You're the stupid one who decided not to go along with Kinomoto…damn you…now I'm stuck with this problem.  
_

It bickered _you had problems anyways...big big problems...  
_

"Shut up," Syaoran spat in to the empty room and was surprised that it had left his lips so loudly. He groaned and sunk back down, the cold headboard pressed deep in to his bare back but he ignored the pain, "That's right – you're going crazy – talking to pink bags...damn you Kinomoto."


End file.
